UConn sees spike in cases

Five dorms quarantined after crowded, off-campus parties

Five UConn dorms have been placed under quarantine after a spike in COVID-19 cases that may be related to large, off-campus parties that took place last weekend, the university announced Friday.

In the past two days, the school identified 35 positive cases on the Storrs campus, Eleanor Daugherty, associate vice president and dean of students, wrote in a notice to the UConn community. She added the cases “appear to be centralized among the North, Northwest, and Alumni residential complexes.”

“Positive tests usually emerge within 3 to 5 days of exposure. This suggests that this spike in positives may be related to large off-campus gatherings that were reported this past weekend,” she said. “These gatherings increase the risk of exposure and spread, which is much more likely to occur when we don’t follow universal precautions such as wearing masks and keeping physical distance.”

As of Friday afternoon, UConn’s dashboard showed a total of 69 current positive/ symptomatic COVID-19 cases among resi

dential Storrs students, and a test positivity rate of 1.5%. Two new off-campus student cases were also reported Friday.

At 4 p.m., the quarantines of students who live in the Eddy, Middlesex, Windham, Rogers and Russell residence halls went into effect. While students living there can receive meals at designated quarantine dining halls, they will not be allowed to attend in-person classes or events.

Guests are also banned from the three residential complexes. Recently, the university had eased restrictions for the first time to allow for guests in dorms and outdoor activities.

The quarantine comes as Connecticut has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases among young adults whoonly became eligible for vaccination on Thursday. Recently, residents in their 20s have been the most likely group to test positive for COVID-19, followed by those in their teens and those in their 30s.

According to data released Thursday, about 61% of positive tests from March 14-27 came from residents under age 40, compared to about 52% in late January. Residents 60 and older, meanwhile, represented 11% of cases from March 14-27, compared to 19% in late January.

UConn Student Health and

Wellness will inform the community when the quarantine can be lifted.

“It is reasonable to assume that these residential areas will remain in quarantine through the end of next week. Students who wish to move out early and complete their quarantine at home are welcome to do so,” Daugherty said.

Most UConn students are expected to move out of their dorms before spring break, which starts April 11. They will not return to campus and will learn remotely for the rest of the semester. The few who remain on campus due to housing issues and other emergency situations “need to remain on campus for the duration of the term, including spring break,” she added.

The gatherings Daugherty referred to in her letter included one Saturday night where state police arrested two young people and ticketed a third after they broke up an off-campus house party that attracted more than 100 people inside in violation of state restrictions on gatherings.

State troopers had already shut down another off-campus party of 150-200 maskless UConn students earlier in March, and local residents expressed concern at the time about continued gatherings spreading COVID-19 throughout the Mansfield community.