COVID-19 Cases Rise At Wake Forest University As New Testing Program Launches

COVID-19 case numbers are rising on the campus of Wake Forest University.

In the last two weeks, 68 students have tested positive for the virus. About a third of those cases were reported in just the last few days. A total of 98 cases have been confirmed on campus since August 17.

In a statement on its website, university officials said they were prepared for a spike, as public health experts had predicted they would see an increase two to four weeks after the start of the semester. They credit contact tracing and strategic testing with detecting new positive cases early on. 

Wake Forest also implemented a surveillance testing program last week. The plan is to randomly test several hundred students for the virus weekly to mitigate potential outbreaks. Officials say they expect case numbers to rise as testing does. 

Case numbers at Wake are below similarly sized High Point University, which has reported 157 active cases, but above Elon University, where 12 cases are active, as of Tuesday. 

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.