COVID-19 continues to affect students as Miami announces outbreak

Miami University’s COVID Response Team announced an outbreak of COVID-19 cases on campus in an email to students Thursday, Sept. 1.

The email detailed that 194 Miami students are known to currently have COVID-19. Of those students, 103 live on-campus.

The number of cases has nearly tripled since last week’s update, which said 66 students tested positive for COVID-19. The number of cases is also comparable to active cases per week in March 2021.

“The Miami University student body is currently in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak, which means the case rate of the student body far exceeds the case rate of the rest of Butler County,” the response team wrote.

Butler County entered high risk levels for COVID-19 in July and has not lowered since then. Butler County has recorded 791 new cases of COVID-19 since Aug. 25, averaging 113 new cases per day.

In an email earlier this week, Miami asked students who live within 2 hours of their homes to spend their isolation periods there, in order to preserve isolation spaces on campus. Students who do contract the virus can request housing with Miami’s student self-report form.

Miami advises students to carry masks with them at all times and to wear them in areas with larger amounts of people, though it is not required.

Students can get KN95 and N95 masks for free at Armstrong Student Center, King Library or the Recreation Center while supplies last. COVID-19 tests are also available at these locations.

Regional students can find them at room 202 in Mosler Hall for Hamilton or room 135 in Johnston Hall for Middletown.

Miami also recommends that students wash their hands regularly using soap and water, receive COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters and stay home and get tested if they show COVID symptoms. Miami students can get vaccinated for free at Student Health Services located in Harris Hall.

macylj@miamioh.edu