Coronavirus cases spike at CCU as spring semester begins, new president updates condition
After the first full week of the spring semester at Coastal Carolina, the university reported its most coronavirus cases since September with a total of 34 through Wednesday.
Many students returned to campus housing the weekend of Jan. 15-17 for the spring semester, which began last Tuesday. Of the positive cases announced Friday, 18 were students and 16 were employees.
Weekly test numbers are through 5 p.m. each Wednesday.
COVID-19 at Coastal Carolina so far
CCU previously peaked with 82 cases for the week through Sept. 16, including 79 students, and that was followed up by 43 cases on Sept. 23.
Since then, the most for any week was the 20 cases reported last Friday for the week from Jan. 14-20, consisting of eight students, 10 employees and two school affiliates. Bars and restaurants around campus have been busy since students returned to campus after an extended holiday break.
The school has reported 450 positive cases since June 8, when athletes began returning to campus for workouts, including 356 students and 89 faculty/staff.
CCU also reported 20 students in isolation for positive tests and 23 in quarantine through contact tracing as of Wednesday. A total of 246 students in university housing have been released or cleared from isolation, and 409 have been cleared from quarantine.
Approximately 3,800 students moved into university housing between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4 among CCU’s more than 10,000 fall semester students, according to CCU vice president for auxiliary services Steve Harrison.
The positive test results are the combined totals of all university symptomatic testing – the general student population is being tested only when students request a test because they are symptomatic – regular surveillance testing results of student-athletes per Sun Belt Conference and NCAA guidelines, including at least weekly testing for in-season athletes, and positive test results reported by students, employees, and school affiliates.
Coastal is leasing off-campus housing properties to isolate students who have tested positive.
Students have four learning options in the spring: in-person, remote, remote synchronous streaming, and a hybrid in-class with streaming and remote synchronous.
Coronavirus cases include president, women’s basketball team
One of this week’s reported employee cases is presumably new CCU president Michael T. Benson, who learned last Thursday that he tested positive for COVID-19.
He said in a Twitter message to The Sun News on Friday that he has been isolating at home for the past week and did have some symptoms of the virus, but is recovering well.
“I’m feeling much better and appreciate everyone’s concern while I’ve been in isolation.” Benson said. “I had another test this morning and, should it come back negative over the weekend, will be ready to be back at work very soon.”
One or more of the student or staff cases is also likely in the women’s basketball program.
The CCU women’s basketball team has postponed games this weekend at home against Georgia Southern and on Tuesday at Georgia State due to COVID-19 protocols within the program.
The Sun Belt Conference, CCU, Georgia Southern and Georgia State will work to reschedule the conference games if possible but no decision as to when they will be made up has been determined.
It’s the second disruption of the season due to coronavirus issues within the women’s basketball program. CCU canceled three non-conference games and postponed two conference games between Dec. 16 and Jan. 2 due to COVID-19 protocols.
COVID in the state, Horry County
South Carolina state health officials Friday reported 3,112 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 37 deaths from the virus.
A quarter of the 12,443 COVID-19 tests reported Friday came back positive, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, marking the third straight day the percent positive rate has been 25% or higher.
In Horry County, total positive COVID cases are up to 23,461 and deaths have reached 338, and the positive test rate is more than 6.6%, according to DHEC.
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 2:48 PM.
