Elon University Faces Surge In COVID-19 Cases, Raises Alert Level For Second Time

A surge in COVID-19 cases among students at Elon University has prompted school officials to increase its on-campus alert level for the second time in five days, following a sharp uptick in confirmed cases through the weekend.

The university is now on High Alert, the second-highest of a four-level system.

The school's COVID-19 dashboard shows that as of Tuesday morning, Elon has 90 active cases, and has seen 131 total cases since mid-August.

The News & Record reports Elon went to a moderate alert last week after confirming 25 new student cases, many among student-athletes. School officials say with most team operations currently suspended, that spread can be attributed to non-sports-related activity.

The university also believes the uptick in cases is mainly because of individuals and small groups not wearing masks or practicing social distancing. Officials released a statement saying “there is no evidence that the surge in cases is due to large parties or to interactions in classrooms, campus facilities or dining halls.”  

The move to a higher alert status has prompted Elon to institute several changes to slow the spread of the virus, including moving some classes online and closing residence halls to visitors.

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