The Nov. 16 COVID-19 Dashboard update revealed the highest positivity rate on campus since the Sept. 29 implementation of random asymptomatic testing.

From Nov. 9-15, the University administered 354 random and symptomatic COVID-19 tests. Of those, the Earle Student Health Center confirmed 8 positive cases. This reflects a positivity rate of 2.26%. That is an increase from the  1.76% positivity rate campus saw last week after the Administration mandated testing for all third- and fourth-year students.  

Despite the 2.26% positivity rate, there was a decrease in the utilization of on-campus isolation and quarantine spaces. The update indicated that 70 students are currently in quarantine, a decrease from the 79 students last week.  Only 14 of the 70 students are quarantined on campus, however, thus decreasing the on-campus quarantine space utilization from 13% last week to 3% this week. This may be a result of students choosing to go home early rather than quarantine on-campus until university housing closes on Nov. 21.

In addition to 354 student tests, 3 employee tests were also administered, resulting in 1 positive case. The tests were administered upon reported COVID-19 symptoms or exposure to an infected individual.

Beyond Furman, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) released updated disease metrics, showing an increase in the two-week cumulative incidence rate from 324 to 400 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 individuals.

The two-week percent positive rate in Greenville County has also increased from 15.8% to 17.6%, which is classified as “high” by SC DHEC. The acute hospital bed occupancy in the Upstate has increased, moving from 79% to 82%.