SOUTH BEND – The University of Notre Dame reported Monday 33 students returning to campus for the fall semester had tested positive for COVID-19.
It’s approximately 0.28% of the total student population. Students could not arrive until they were cleared by medical professionals and tested prior to arrival. The University this year has a total enrollment of 11,836 students including 8,600 undergraduates.
Testing was performed by LabCorp, which processed the nearly 12,000 COVID-19 tests before classes began Monday. The University also took a detailed analysis of counties students arrived from across the nation to provide any additional screening for COVID-19 hot spots.
“I commend our students, their families, the University’s COVID Response Unit, University Health Services and our partner LabCorp in completing this formidable undertaking in a timely manner,” University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said in a statement Monday. “We wanted to make certain our students’ return did not represent a health threat to the South Bend community.”
Notre Dame has taken several steps in an effort to restrict a possible outbreak on campus, including cancelling study abroad programs, and providing a high-capacity testing center on campus that’s accessible by car or on foot.
