UF: Resources in place to address uptick in COVID-19 cases

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases on campus this weekend, the university said Sunday.

A post on the university’s Facebook page said the increase in positive cases “is in keeping with what the University of Florida and UF Health anticipated and planned for.”

As of Monday, according to the UF Health Testing Dashboard, 12,423 faculty and staff members were tested without symptoms since May, and 28 faculty and staff members tested positive for COVID-19 without symptoms, for a percent positive rate of 0.23%.

According to the dashboard, 11,743 students were tested without symptoms through the “Return to Campus Initiative,” and 57 students tested positive without symptoms, for a percent positive rate of 0.49%.

The dashboard also shows 1,214 students with or without symptoms were tested for COVID-19 at the Student Health Care Center, and 256 students with or without symptoms were confirmed as positive, for a percent positive rate of 21.2%

The Facebook post said there are resources in place to address the uptick in cases, which the university said will likely continue for some time in the wake of the holiday weekend.

The university said the campus has 600 beds reserved for quarantine and isolation use, and contact tracing and surveillance testing are already underway as planned.

Students, faculty and staff are reminded to continue to wear face coverings, practice physical distancing and frequent handwashing, and avoid large social gatherings. The university said it’s everyone’s responsibility to care and show concern for each other to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The university also announced it has a team of professionals that is following up on every positive case.

“Once someone is reported confirmed as a positive case, they are placed in isolation and the Screen, Test & Protect team initiates contact tracing, calling close contacts (those who have been within 6 feet of the positive case for 15 minutes or longer). These individuals are then put in quarantine and monitored for signs of COVID-19 over the next two weeks. The team will provide guidance and outline next steps for each individual depending on their circumstances. Student Affairs also will be in touch with students who are isolating or quarantining to provide additional services and support,” a university spokesperson said.

As planned, additional COVID-19 testing sites for students will be available after the Labor Day holiday. Students, faculty and staff are also being given a symptom questionnaire.