ALLENDALE, MI – Since students moved back to campus last week, the number of positive coronavirus cases at Grand Valley State University has tripled compared to the total number of cases reported between Aug. 1-26.
College health officials reported 93 new positive coronavirus cases among students between Aug. 27 – the last day of move-in week – and Aug. 31. That data was posted to the GVSU COVID-19 Data Dashboard, which was last updated Sept. 1. The number of cases over that five-day period is more than triple the 30 total cases reported between Aug. 1-26.
GVSU, which is offering a mix of in-person and virtual classes, began the fall semester Aug. 31.
In total, the university of about 24,000 students has reported 123 positive COVID-19 cases since Aug. 1, data shows. About 65% of the positive cases are in “near-campus students,” or students who live in off-campus housing within a mile of campus, data shows.
There have not been any positive cases found among GVSU faculty.
Half of the 123 positive cases were identified through the university’s testing efforts in partnership with Spectrum Health. University leaders announced in August that GVSU would conduct random coronavirus testing on students, faculty and staff this fall as a way to find any virus “hot spots.”
GVSU has conducted about 2,200 tests on campus so far, Vice Provost for Health Jean Nagelkerk said in a conference call with media Sept. 2.
Of the 123 positive cases, 62 were identified through GVSU’s testing partnership with Spectrum Health. That means the other 61 cases were students who were tested elsewhere and reported to GVSU by local health departments.
Nagelkerk did not know how many of the total positive cases were among asymptomatic patients versus those who have experienced symptoms. But everyone who was tested through the university’s testing program was asymptomatic, she said.
In Kent County, 23 GVSU students have tested positive for COVID-19 with the Kent County Health Department, spokesperson Steve Kelso told MLive Wednesday. County health officials said most of those who tested positive were symptomatic.
The Ottawa County Health Department declined to provide numbers to MLive of how many GVSU students have tested positive with the county health department.
No GVSU students have been hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 thus far, Nagelkerk said.
Daily coronavirus case data released by the university is broken down between on-campus students; near-campus students who live within a mile of campus and “other students,” which include students who live over a mile from campus or whose location is undetermined.
GVSU had reported 30 coronavirus cases between Aug. 1-26, data shows. On Aug. 27, the university reported additional positive cases involving 11 near-campus students. On Aug. 28, cases were reported involving two near-campus students, and two “other” students.
There was a jump in cases Aug. 29, when GVSU reported 14 more positive test results from near-campus students and eight additional from other students. On Aug. 30, there were nine confirmed cases in near-campus students, two in on-campus students and five in “other” students.
On Aug. 31 — the most recent data posted by the university — there were 20 positive cases reported in near-campus students, three cases involving on-campus students, and 17 cases among “other” students.
As a result of the rise in cases, the university has increased its self-assessed coronavirus level from “Level 1: Low Level” to “Level 2: Moderate Level.” The Level 2 assessment means GVSU has found a “moderate number of cases with most from a known source” and could implement some remote instruction in impacted areas.
If cases continue to rise, GVSU could also move up to a “Level 3: High Alert,” which would signify “many cases, including community spread with some undetected cases,” and “Level 4: Very High Alert,” which would mean “widespread uncontrolled outbreak with many undetected cases.”
Nagelkerk said, at this point, she does not think the current number of cases require classes to be moved online.
“I think (123 positive cases) is right in line with what I was expecting to see, and hope that we can keep it low, I would be very pleased,” Nagelkerk said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep that down and I’m hoping that’s what we will be able to do.”
Students who spoke with MLive during move-in week said they were “excited to be here while it lasts,” some sharing concerns that GVSU could switch to online-only as a result in rising coronavirus cases.
“I’m just hoping to stay here as long as I can,” freshman Maddy Evans said as she moved into her new dorm Aug. 25. “I think most people don’t want to have to move back home.”
RELATED: Grand Valley students moving back to campus amid pandemic ‘excited to be here while it lasts’
In an effort to avoid surges in cases, Grand Valley is largely relying on students to follow the rules. Administrators are hoping to avoid large parties by focusing on educating students about the importance of social distancing amid the pandemic.
“Our primary approach has been, and continues to be, one of education and prevention with health guidance and instructions about how to protect themselves in the community,” Vice Provost for Student Affairs Loren Rullman told MLive last week.
However, some Grand Valley faculty have expressed concerns over large student gatherings at universities across the nation, which they said have served as “excellent breeding grounds for COVID-19.”
In an open letter signed mostly by GVSU professors, university faculty from across the state asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Aug. 25 to mandate classes that don’t require face-to-face teaching be fully online to protect students and their colleagues from the coronavirus.
“We faculty are ... motivated by what we see around the country in other schools, first-hand knowledge that university students don’t always make decisions based on what is safest, (and) an understanding that the COVID-19 spreads easily among people meeting in groups (especially indoors),” states the letter, signed by over 200 professors.
GVSU is not alone in its efforts to contain coronavirus among college students. Other universities across the state, including Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University, have reported rises in coronavirus cases since students returned to campus.
Nagelkerk said there have not been any “outbreaks” identified by health officials at GVSU.
Across the state, there are currently are six coronavirus outbreaks linked to college campuses, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website.
State health officials will not identify the schools or the number of coronavirus cases. However, it is listing the information by health district region.
There are three ongoing clusters on college campuses in Region 1 which includes Ingham, Jackson, Livingston, Eaton, Clinton, Shiawasee, Gratiot, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties. There are two new outbreaks at colleges or universities in Region 6, which includes Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Montcalm, Isabella, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Osceola and Clare counties. Region 8, which is the Upper Peninsula, has one new outbreak on a college campus.
To help you navigate this complicated fall, we’re pleased to offer you a simpler way to get all of your education news: Our new Michigan Schools: Education in the COVID Era newsletter delivered right to your inbox. To receive this newsletter, simply click here to sign up.
COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS:
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.
Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.
Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nosewhile in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.
More on MLive:
Grand Valley to do random campus coronavirus testing, shift most classes online after Thanksgiving
Western Michigan students protest, share concerns with university’s reopening plan
More than 60 new coronavirus cases at Central Michigan University in past week
After spike in coronavirus cases, Adrian College intends to stay open, president says
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