• Penn State reports 55% increase in COVID- 19 cases,

Penn State University on Friday reported a 55% increase in COVID19 cases from a week ago, to 2,124, but President Eric Barron in a town hall meeting this week with faculty and staff said indicators suggest no need to switch to remote instruction.

The University of Pittsburgh, meanwhile, reported that its total cases since Aug. 1 now number 229, up from 203 a week ago, though the university’s case growth is on a lower trajectory.

At Penn State, Mr. Barron said that in addition to actual case totals, university health experts are looking at other variables that, so far, indicate the university’s status need not change.

“Hospitalizations remain at very low levels, very little change in quarantine and isolation [ capacity] and not seeing transfer from students to faculty — these are the keys for us moving forward,” he said during Wednesday’s virtual event.

The latest numbers on Penn State’s COVID- 19 dashboard show that all but one case systemwide involves students. Of the total, 819 remain active.

Friday’s updated totals include 1,892 positive results out of 10,558 on- demand or symptomatic tests, and 231 positive results from 17,425 random or asymptomatic tests.

A total of 515 and 458 results are yet to arrive, respectively, for ondemand and random tests, according to the dashboard.

Nearly all the cases are on the main University Park campus, which nearly 50,000 students attend.

During an hour- long session with employees, Mr, Barron addressed concerns by faculty and others about the potential risk of in- person instruction given rising numbers. The university released a summation of his remarks.

” Many have asked for a specific number that would cause us to change course. It’s important to understand that it’s not one single number that will dictate our decisions and actions,” he said. “Our ability to continue on- campus activities will be determined by several considerations.”

He said they include daily testing results, local hospitalizations, spread from students to employees and the local community, and the university’s quarantine and isolation capacity.

Last week, Mr. Barron joined other Big 10 university presidents in sanctioning the return of fall football.

Penn State has received guidance from the state and federal governments that it makes better sense to keep students on campus rather then sending them home and exposing others in their hometowns, Mr. Barron said.