USC coronavirus cases increase slightly for the first time in weeks

The University of South Carolina has 39 active coronavirus cases on campus, according to new data released Friday.

That’s up slightly from Tuesday’s active case count, which was 33, according to a previous article from The State. Though the uptick in cases is minor — especially when compared to how high cases were in early September — it’s the first time USC’s active case numbers have increased in weeks.

USC conducted 1,632 tests between Tuesday and Thursday with a 1.4% positivity rate, according to USC’s online dashboard.

The campus alert level, a composite score of case numbers, testing and quarantine capacity, coronavirus’ impact on day-to-day operations and more, describes the coronavirus risk on USC’s campus as “New Normal.”

“New normal” calls for minimal disruption to campus life while the higher levels, “low,” “medium” and “high,” all call for increasing restrictions on in-person classes, movement on campus and more.

Are cases up or down?

Since school began Aug. 20, the peak number of reported active cases has been 1,461 on Sept. 3, according to USC’s online dashboard.

The lion’s share of those cases have been students. Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 28, 98% of all COVID-19 cases on USC’s campus has been students, according to the dashboard. During the peak, USC conducted 2,336 tests in a three-day span.

Around the time the peak was reported, testing declined rapidly because USC said a lab staffer key to saliva testing became sick, which caused saliva testing to fall to one-sixth of its previous capacity for several days. USC has since increased its testing capacity, and now says it has more than enough to test students who need it.

But USC officials think many students who have symptoms are avoiding getting tested. Also, male students are less likely to get tested than female students, which further distorts the actual number of cases on campus.

Student behavior

Even before school started, videos and photos surfaced showing large crowds of people gathered in student apartment complexes or off-campus areas popular with students not obeying COVID-19 social distancing and mask rules.

Perhaps the most publicized example of this was in early September when a viral video from TLC Sports Bar and Grill showed a tightly packed group of college-age patrons not wearing masks.

Columbia officials have been issuing citations to house or apartment parties, of which there was no shortage during the first Gamecocks football game of the year, according to previous articles from The State.

For their part, USC has cracked down on students and student organizations that violate quarantine or break COVID-19 safety rules by moving to suspend the students or organizations.

USC President Robert Caslen has said classrooms and on-campus buildings are safe, but off-campus gatherings are spreading coronavirus. As case numbers began to decrease in mid-late September, Caslen praised students, whom he said were doing a better job following COVID-19 safety precautions.

This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 5:10 PM with the headline "USC coronavirus cases increase slightly for the first time in weeks."