DURHAM, N.C. — Duke University self-imposed quarantine on students for the week following a COVID-19 outbreak on campus.
Students attending recruitment parties for selective living groups are believed to be the cause for the uptick in cases, Duke officials said in a release.
More than 180 students are in isolation with confirmed positive COVID-19 tests. It's the largest one-week number of positive tests and quarantines since the start of the pandemic, university officials said. An additional 200 students are quarantined due to close contact with those individuals, according to the release.
Duke woke up to the stay-in-place order Sunday, Mar. 14 after it went into effect at midnight. Students are required to stay-in-place until 9 a.m., next Sunday, Mar. 21.
With very few exceptions, all in-person courses including lab classes will shift to remote-only delivery, the university said.
Restrictions have been implemented to close down the campus. Students living off-campus are not allowed onto campus grounds with rare exceptions. Students in Duke housing, like dorms, are not allowed to leave their buildings except for essential activities, university officials said.
The rigorous lockdown measures aim to preserve the students' ability to complete the spring semester on time.
"Our ability to complete the semester, commencement for our seniors, and the health and safety of our community, including your fellow undergraduate students, is hanging in the balance. Now more than ever we NEED you to come together as a Duke community to meet this challenge together," Associate VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students John Blackshear said.
Duke's graduation ceremonies are scheduled for May 2.