WVU halts in- person classes amid increasing virus cases

West Virginia University on Monday suspended in- person classes at its Morgantown campus following increases in cases of COVID- 19 on the campus.

Undergraduate classes will move online through Sept. 25, according to a news release from the university. Students who are already in clinical rotations in their health sciences courses will not go online. Graduate and professional courses may continue in- person instruction. Activities on other WVU campuses are to continue as planned.

The change comes after the university suspended 29 students after a member of the Theta Chi fraternity tested positive for the virus but attended a party even after being told to selfisolate.

Campus testing results show 145 students in the past week tested positive for COVID- 19 out of nearly 1,047 tests. A total of 360 students have tested positive since the university began publishing results July 27. Four faculty and staff members have tested positive.

Since Aug. 10, at least 869 students of the Morgantown campus needed to quarantine.

The university said it would evaluate public health conditions on Sept. 23 and determine whether students will be able to return to classes the following Monday ( Sept. 28).

“If any students traveled home for the holiday weekend and have their materials to learn remotely, we ask those students to remain where they are right now,” Dean of Students Corey Farris wrote in a statement. “However, we are strongly advising students who did not travel over the weekend to remain in Morgantown during this time.”

The school advised on- campus students to leave the Morgantown area only for emergencies. Likewise, off- campus students were told not to visit the campus and to stay at their Morgantown residences unless it is necessary to leave.