U-M COVID-19 Data

Increases in COVID-19 cases among U-M students both on and off campus have heightened the pressure on university case investigators, contact tracers, and quarantine and isolation housing capacity. Yesterday, the Washtenaw County Health Department, in collaboration with U-M, issued a 14-day Stay in Place order for undergraduate students on the Ann Arbor campus effective immediately through Nov. 3 at 7a.m. Under the Washtenaw County order, undergraduate students living in on-campus, near-campus or off-campus housing in the Ann Arbor area are required to "stay in place" and remain in their current designated residence. Out of an abundance of caution, and while also making it as simple as possible for undergraduate students to comply with the order, provide choices for students and instructors, and to support those students who may choose to leave Ann Arbor and finish their semester from home, U-M took the additional step of moving more undergraduate courses to fully remote instruction for the remainder of the semester. While there is no public health or university requirement for students to leave campus at this time, for those that may choose to leave early, public health officials advise all students be tested within 7 days prior to their departure from campus. Students living in Michigan Housing are required to get tested prior to departure. Information on exit testing can be found on the following website. In addition to testing prior to departure, it also is advised that all students observe a 14-day period of enhanced social distancing upon arrival at their permanent residence.

Because of increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 in the Mary Markley Residence Hall and the fact that a high proportion of residents have not participated in mandatory testing, the university is taking additional measures to protect all Markley residents and prevent the spread of COVID-19. In close collaboration with the Washtenaw County Health Department, the university is requiring all Markley residents not attend in-person classes and observe enhanced social distancing practices for the next 14 days. All positive cases and close contacts have been moved or are in the process of being moved to isolation or quarantine housing. Individuals who have not been tested will receive additional communication about their failure to report to testing as required. There continues to be an increase in COVID activity across the region with new cases often attributed to social gatherings both indoors and outside. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (indoors and outdoors) to help control the spread of COVID-19.

A number of cases of COVID-19 were identified over this past week and the previous weekend, including cases involving the residence halls. Follow-up, targeted testing identified additional asymptomatic cases. In partnership with the Washtenaw County Health Department, residents of specific floors in three of the halls that have been asked to maintain enhanced social distancing for 14 days. Some U-M students who tested positive for COVID-19 also had a number of close contacts so there has been an associated increased number of students who have been moved to quarantine housing because of these higher risk exposures. U-M is accommodating students in need of quarantine or isolation in units on North Campus as part of the university's overall inventory of quarantine and isolation housing spaces. There has been an increase in COVID activity across the region with new cases often attributed to social gatherings both indoors and outside. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (indoors and outdoors) to help control the spread of COVID-19.

University public health experts, in close collaboration with the Washtenaw County Health Department, are recommending 14 days of enhanced social distancing for all residents on the third floor of Mary Markley. The recommendation follows pop-up testing that identified additional positive cases of COVID-19 on the third floor. During this period of enhanced social distancing, students should not attend in-person class and are expected to reduce their contact with others, monitor their own health and not attend social gatherings. At this time, there is no evidence of additional clusters within the building. University Health Service will provide mandatory pop-up testing over the week for the remaining building residents who were not previously tested in the past 14-days. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (indoors and outdoors) to help control the spread of COVID-19.

U-M has now shifted to use the commercial lab LynxDX to offer a saliva-based method for asymptomatic testing through the Community Sampling & Tracking Program. At the end of last week, CSTP conducted 415 saliva-based tests at Palmer Commons location. All tests are negative. U-M is working with LynxDX to establish reporting systems to add this testing data to the dashboard (the tests from last week are not yet accounted for in the weekly report). U-M also announced the opening of an additional CSTP campus testing location at Pierpont Commons to better accommodate students, faculty and staff on North Campus. Later this week the testing team will begin a rotating on-site testing opportunity for students living in residence halls, with this week's residence hall location being Bursley Hall. U-M officials encourage the Ann Arbor campus community, and all students living in residence halls, to sign-up for the program. Additionally, the data on the number of cases in each residence hall will now be updated twice a week. Updates will be posted on Tuesday and Friday. A review of cases completed to prepare this data identified three cases that were reported in duplicate from multiple sources; this has been corrected by removing three cases previously reported from Munger, Stockwell and Mosher-Jordan.

The quarantine and isolation data for today, Oct. 12, is 136; not the previously indicated 256. Occupancy is 22.7%, not the earlier 42.7%. There was a data entry error causing a number of records to be counted twice. U-M has corrected this error and the dashboard has been updated accordingly.

University public health experts, in close collaboration with the Washtenaw County Health Department, are recommending 14 days of enhanced social distancing for all residents of two floors of West Quad and one floor of South Quad residence halls. The recommendation follows pop-up testing that identified additional positive cases of COVID-19 on the third and fourth floors of West Quad and the fifth floor of South Quad. Common areas on those floors will get enhanced cleaning. During this period of enhanced social distancing, students are expected to reduce their contact with others, monitor their own health and not attend social gatherings. Additionally, the university is recommending that during this time frame that students on the identified floors only attend classes remotely and, if they have work obligations, work remotely if possible. The university asks the affected students to continue to use the ResponsiBLUE symptom tracker daily. Separately, University Health Service will offer pop-up testing Monday evening to residents of the Mary Markley residence hall and all U-M students in Ann Arbor are encouraged to sign up for surveillance testing through the enhanced Community Sampling and Tracking Program.

Residence hall numbers have been added through the previous Saturday (as of October 3). Case numbers for residence halls now include new cases and historical probable cases, in addition to those confirmed cases reported previously.

Overall case counts have been noticeably lower this week in comparison to recent weeks. This trend is consistent at both the campus and county level. Based upon ongoing mapping of positive cases, West Quad, South Quad and Mary Markley residence halls have been identified as having small clusters of cases in specific areas (West Quad floors 3 and 4, South Quad floor 5 and Mary Markley floors 5 and 6). All known cases and identified contacts have been moved out of the residence halls while the university’s health officials continue to monitor the situation in conjunction with the Washtenaw County Health Department. These cases appear to be related to close contacts that have previously tested positive, but based upon the proximity to one another university officials have suggested targeted testing on the impacted floors of the three residence halls. Students in the designated areas were notified of the required testing and provided detailed information from University Health Services about pop-up testing that will occur near each residence hall. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (especially indoors) to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Continued higher than expected numbers of COVID-19 cases, primarily involving students, both on campus and in the surrounding community are observed. Based upon this trend the university has met two of its response metrics: (1) exceeding 5 days of increase in new infections (using a 7-day average) and (2) Washtenaw County disease levels exceeding 70 new cases per million. While several small clusters have been identified, none has had >100 close contacts or have exceeded capacity for contact tracing, determined in collaboration with Washtenaw County health officials. After removal of positive cases and known contacts, broader asymptomatic testing has been conducted in several residence halls as a precaution. Also, in consultation with Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and the county health department, several large off campus houses remain under quarantine as a targeted measure in response to identified cases in these congregate living settings. Broader testing of asymptomatic individuals living in those settings has been offered also. An ongoing review of the situation is being conducted by campus and county public health officials to determine what additional mitigation strategies may be considered. Additional information on the university's metrics can be found here.

University officials continue to see an increase in positive cases this week with several cases among students living in off campus residences, many of whom are being tested at outside health centers. Environment, Health and Safety is working in collaboration with the Washtenaw County Health Department to manage the off-campus cases and provide contact tracing. It is essential that all students cooperate fully with the case investigation process to help protect the community. Case data for the residence halls also was updated today, reflecting the cumulative number of positive cases through Sept. 26. All known positive cases and close contacts in U-M Housing have been moved into quarantine or isolation. The university is offering increased surveillance testing, and in some cases required testing, for specific on-campus residences. New clusters have been identified in Mosher Jordan and Alice Lloyd. Targeted testing has been arranged for residents that live in areas of greatest concern among these residence halls. All other residents are strongly encouraged to be tested through the Community Sampling Tracking Program. Students with symptoms and those that are concerned about direct contact with recent positive cases are directed to University Health Service for evaluation and testing. All students should continue to complete the daily symptom check through the ResponsiBLUE app.

University officials have seen a significant increase in positive cases this week with the majority of the increase the result of students being tested at off-campus facilities. The university is working closely with the Washtenaw County Health Department, which is managing the off-campus cases and providing contact tracing. In addition, WCHD is now reporting confirmed cases and suspected probable cases. U-M launched its enhanced COVID-19 dashboard today to reflect new datasets, including outside testing from the county. This additional data caused a jump in cases. The majority of the cases are stemming from clusters involving students living in off-campus, congregate residences. Data for the residence halls also was updated today. These numbers reflect the cumulative number of positive COVID cases as of Sept. 19, with each new week starting on Sunday. Information for the residence halls will continue to be updated weekly. There are no new clusters within the residence halls. All known positive cases and close contacts have been moved into quarantine and isolation. Students are encouraged to be tested through the Community Sampling Tracking Program. Students with symptoms are directed to contact University Health Service.

The university is aware of positive cases involving students at three separate off campus congregate living residences. U-M's Environment, Health and Safety is working closely with the Washtenaw County Health Department to offer isolation housing for known and suspected cases, contact tracing and onsite asymptomatic testing for the residents who have been directed to quarantine. All individuals on and around campus should continue to practice social distancing, wear face coverings, wash hands and limit gathering sizes.

Regarding the cluster of cases in South Quad, all known positive cases and close contacts have been moved into quarantine and isolation. Of the remaining residents, 221 on the 6th and 8th floors were tested for coronavirus, and were all negative. University officials are in the process of following up with the remaining 23 residents who have not yet been tested. In consultation with the Washtenaw County Health Department, residents of the 6th and 8th floors will need to continue to practice enhanced social distancing until October 1. As a reminder residents can still attend in-person classes if a remote option is not available and to get food. It is also permissible to go outside and get some fresh air either for exercise, studying or to eat. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (especially indoors) to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Over the past few days, an uptick in positive cases has been reported among U-M students. One location of concern is South Quad where additional evaluation and prevention measures have been taken in close consultation with the Washtenaw County Health Department. All known cases and identified contacts have been moved out of the residence hall while the university’s health officials continue to monitor the situation in conjunction with the county. Some of the recent cases have included testing positive at off-site testing centers instead of the University Health Service. All positive test results do get reported to the county health department where the test is performed. Cases in Washtenaw County that are identified as involving university students are generally referred by the health department to the university public health teams for case investigation and contact tracing, but there may be delays in reporting associated with off-site testing. Prompt isolation and rapid contact tracing are key to stopping further spread on and around campus. Symptomatic students are encouraged to avoid contact with others and to either seek testing through University Health Service or promptly share outside positive test results if they are tested elsewhere. Positive test results from outside testing centers either locally or remote from campus are not currently included in the compiled data. All individuals on campus should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to important prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (especially indoors) to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

In close partnership Washtenaw County Health Department and U-M's Environment, Health and Safety have been continuously monitoring the situation at South Quad. Currently the 6th and 8th floors have the most cases, which has been identified as a cluster. This location remains an area of focus. All positive cases and close contacts have been moved to isolation or quarantine. The university has put forth additional proactive measures (expectation of enhanced social distancing, mandatory testing, increased cleaning of bathrooms) to prevent ongoing spread of COVID-19 within the building. More details available here: South Quad COVID Cluster 6th & 8th Floor Residents 9.17.2020. All individuals on campus, including those working and residing in South Quad, should continue using the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and adhere to general prevention measures such as wearing face coverings, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (especially indoors) to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

There have been 11 cases identified in South Quad since September 5. Nine of these cases are related to a social group of friends and roommates. All cases and close contacts have been identified and isolated/quarantined per protocol. The situation is being monitored closely by both U-M and Washtenaw County Health Department. Based on detailed case investigation in partnership with the local health department, it has been determined that broad testing at South Quad is not indicated at this time. University officials continue to encourage all students, staff and faculty that are on-campus to sign up for the U-M COVID-19 Community Sampling and Tracking Program. All individuals on campus, including those working and residing in South Quad, should continue to use the ResponsiBLUE Daily symptom tracker and to continue to practice other prevention measures such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, and refraining from gatherings (especially indoors) in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.

An error in the code used to summarize the dashboard data led to the incorrect total tests and total cases to be displayed this morning. This error has been corrected.

Available case counts and testing data through the morning of September 11 have been added as of September 12. This includes cases and data from ongoing campus asymptomatic testing over the past week. Samples from the first few days of the U-M COVID-19 Sampling and Tracking Program are at the lab and will be available within the week. Visit the Monitoring and Testing page to learn more about the program and to sign up. ResponsiBLUE illness-like reports are 0.1% for students. A reminder that all cases in the city and county as identified by state and local public health officials are listed on the State and Regional Data page. Washtenaw county case level has been medium-high over the past week but this is steady from recent weeks. Visit mistartmap.info to see detailed information for any county in Michigan. As of September 8, the 7-day average of cases per day identified by the health department is 5.4 in Ann Arbor and 3.4 in Ypsilanti. Continue social distancing, wearing masks, and limiting gathering sizes, especially this weekend.

We added 12 students and 6 non-students to the dashboard for the week beginning August 30. One additional cluster of 6 cases has been identified in an off campus residence and affected students have been isolated or quarantined. Non-student cases include remote employees and exposures outside of campus. Cases are graphed by symptom onset date or specimen collection date, and so may appear in the bars for previous weeks. While the case numbers remain low, the number of contacts per case continues to be high. It is essential that students continue to practice social distancing and limit gathering sizes to help prevent further spread of COVID-19. ResponsiBLUE illness-like reports remain at 0.2% for students. Thank you to students for the big increase in ResponsiBLUE use this week. Case numbers remain level in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and mistartmap.info is reporting a high case level of 40 new cases per million as of September 4 but remains below the overall level for our region. Michigan’s ranking has improved relative to other states and is currently ranked 38th in case incidence nationwide (COVIDActNow.org). Want to learn more about where the U-M Dashboard data comes from? Details can be found on our About page.

As of September 2, we have added 10 cases to dashboard totals so far this week; 3 of these cases have been in students. Non-student cases include remote employees and most non-student cases have been attributed to exposures outside the campus. Cases below are graphed by symptom onset date or specimen collection date, and so may appear in the bars for previous weeks. While the case numbers are low, the number of contacts has been high, with more students moving to quarantine housing. Social distancing and mask wearing continue to be essential to limit spread. ResponsiBLUE use among students has increased 400% since our last report; data shows 0.2% of responding students are reporting illness-like symptoms. Case numbers remain level in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and mistartmap.info is reporting a medium high case level of 34 new cases per million as of August 30. Michigan’s ranking has improved relative to other states and is currently ranked 37th in case incidence nationwide (COVIDActNow.org). Want to learn more about where the U-M Dashboard data comes from? Details can be found on our new [About page](/dashboard/about-the-data

New cases include reports of 5 students and 7 employees in data posted to the dashboard in the last 2 days. Clinical testing on campus continues at a high level; the percentage of tests that are positive during the week beginning August 23 is 1.3%. ResponsiBLUE data shows that less than 0.3% of individuals are reporting illness-like symptoms. A reminder to all students faculty and staff coming to campus and all students living in residence halls to fill out ResponsiBLUE every day. If you are a student with symptoms, contact University Health Service (UHS) and faculty of staff should contact Occupational Health Services (OHS). Early symptom identification is an important step in slowing the spread of COVID-19. The state has reported a case level of 34 new cases per million per day in Washtenaw County as of August 25 (mistartmap.info) with an average of 12 new cases per day. Case levels have plateaued in Ann Arbor and are decreasing in Ypsilanti. Michigan is currently ranked 32nd in case incidence nationwide (Source: COVIDActNow.org)

Four new positive tests have been reported in students living off-campus, all four students are being assisted with any isolation needs. Contact tracing efforts are underway and confirmed close contacts are being instructed to quarantine following public health guidance. The dashboard has also been updated with an additional 6 reports from OHS from the last eight days. These were all individuals that were working remotely or who were not on campus during the infectious period. No clusters or workplace exposures have been identified.

Eight new positive tests have been reported for students in the last 3 days. Six of the 8 students are asymptomatic and were identified during baseline testing efforts. All students have been assisted with isolation needs and contact tracing efforts are underway. No clusters (individuals with a common exposure) have been identified.

Pre-arrival testing is almost completed and the percent of positive tests is less than 1%. A number of infections in non-students have been identified since August 9. Contact tracing has not identified any workplace-linked infections with these cases. Risk level in our larger region has increased to High overall, however, Washtenaw county remains lower than neighboring counties with 28.9 new cases per million per day as of August 21 and 1.9% of tests are positive this week. Case numbers and percent positivity for our state as a whole remain steady (38.4 new cases per million on average and 3.3% of tests are positive this week). Michigan is now 41st in the nation for new case levels (Source: CovidActNow.org)

Case numbers remain low on campus and requests for tests for symptomatic individuals remain low. Risk level in our region according to state public health authorities is at Medium High, with Washtenaw county at case levels that are below the rest of the region (21 new cases per million and 2.3% positivity). The state as a whole has experienced medium to high levels of cases over the past week (37.7 new cases per million on average) and an overall percent positivity of 3.3%, which has been decreasing. Michigan is ranked 38th among all states in new case levels nationally (Source: CovidActNow.org)

Few positive cases have been identified this week in the campus community following larger testing events from 2 weeks ago. Visits to UHS are currently low, an average of 3 tests per day over the last week, so the percent positive can appear high based on a handful of results. No concerning increases have been identified on campus in the last week, and infection levels in our surrounding communities continue to decline.