U-M COVID cases now make up for 48% of all cases in Washtenaw County

ANN ARBOR – In its bi-weekly COVID update on Tuesday, University of Michigan officials announced that COVID cases within the school community now represent 48% of the total cases in Washtenaw County. The majority of the current cases are among students.

On Feb. 2, U-M cases accounted for 34% of all COVID cases in Washtenaw County.

While COVID cases in the school community are trending downward, they are still elevated, according the announcement. The downward trend is due in part to the recent stay-in-place recommendation the school issued at the suggestion of the Washtenaw County Health Department after outbreaks of the new COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant were identified on campus.

As of the week beginning Feb. 7, U-M reported a total of 54 positive COVID cases as opposed to the week prior, when 282 positive cases were confirmed.

According to school officials, the slowed trend has allowed case investigators to catch up with contact tracing.

Cases are now spread across students of all ages, from undergraduate to graduate. Due to a rise in cases in older students, the university has made it mandatory for all graduate and professional students who live on or visit campus to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.

Undergraduates who live on or come to campus have been undergoing required weekly testing since the start of the winter term.

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