Campus Life

10/13: COVID-19 dashboard updated with preliminary results from weekend testing

Positive test results declining; community urged to continue following guidelines

Autumn leaves on the Old Main lawn Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has updated its public COVID-19 dashboard with the University's on-demand testing and random testing results from tests administered during the period of Oct. 9 to 11, as well as new University testing results from the prior week. The few pending results will be validated and uploaded when completed. There are no new employee positive cases from University testing on any campus.

For the period of Oct. 9 to 11, the University Park campus received 45 positive on-demand test results and one positive random testing result from student testing. The dashboard also indicates that 2,952 students at University Park have completed their isolation period and are no longer active cases.

Test results received with respect to tests conducted in the week of Oct. 2 to 8 have added 138 positive on-demand student testing results and 10 additional positive student random testing results for the University Park campus for that week. This brings the current total for the University Park campus for that week to 416 positive on-demand testing results and 19 positive random testing results from student testing.

“We are seeing our positive test results decline from their peak in mid-September, however, this virus is easily transmitted and, as we have seen elsewhere, progress can be reversed quickly,” said Kelly Wolgast, director of the University’s COVID-19 Operations Control Center. “We ask all in our community to continue to be diligent about following public health guidance and responsive to the University’s calls to participate in surveillance testing.”

University Park On-Demand Student Testing Positive Results by Week:

University Park Random Student Testing Positive Results by Week:

Commonwealth Campus Test Results

The dashboard indicates the following new student testing results at Commonwealth Campuses:

  • Altoona: 21 on-demand testing positives for the period of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1; 18 on-demand testing positives and two random testing positives for the period of Oct. 2 to 8; and one on-demand positive for the period of Oct. 9 to 11.
  • Behrend (Erie): three on-demand testing positives for the period of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1
  • Berks: three one-demand testing positives for the period of Oct. 2 to 8
  • DuBois: one random testing positive for the period of Oct. 2 to 8   
  • Harrisburg: one on-demand testing positive for the period of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 and seven on-demand testing positives and one random testing positive for the period of Oct. 2 to 8
  • Hershey: one random testing positive for the period of Oct. 2 to 8

All students who test positive are being placed in isolation and, through systematic University contact tracing, close contacts of the infected individuals are being identified and must remain in quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the infected individual. 

Students who are concerned about COVID-19 exposure are urged to utilize the University’s health care resources to seek out testing and facilitate contact tracing. Students with health concerns should call the 24/7 Advice Nurse at 814-863-4463. At University Park, students can make appointments with University Health Services by using myUHS or calling the appointment line at 814-863-0774. Commonwealth Campus students should contact their campus’ health care services.  

Penn State experts are continuing to track current trends and continuously monitoring local, state and national disease data. The University is working closely with officials from the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Health, as well as local public and private organizations, to carefully monitor the prevalence of coronavirus in Centre County to determine if the virus is moving from the campus community to the local community and, if so, to develop strategies to mitigate such spread.

To continue on-campus learning, work and other activities through the fall semester, it’s vital that students, faculty and staff at all campuses and in adjacent communities do their part to limit the spread of COVID-19 — and support the effort to “Mask Up or Pack Up.” The University urges everyone to continue to wear face masks, practice social distancing and avoid gatherings.

For the latest updates and information on Penn State’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including frequently asked questions and information specific for students, faculty and staff, visit virusinfo.psu.edu.

Last Updated October 20, 2020