University of Georgia reports 'concerning' rise in positive COVID-19 tests

ATHENS, Ga. - The University of Georgia says the number of positive COVID-19 cases has risen "significantly" after the first full week of classes.

According to data released by the Athens university Wednesday morning, the school's DawgCheck reporting system has found 821 positive tests for the week of Aug. 24 through the 30. The majority of those who tested positive were students with 798 cases. The remaining cases involved 19 staff members and four faculty members.

Of the cases that had been reported, nearly half had been from sources other than UGA's surveillance testing program, tests at the University Health Center, or Athens-area medical providers, officials said. The majority of the positive tests came from urgent care clinics or testing centers somewhere in and out of Georgia. While the university can not validate the reports, they are reporting them as submitted.

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For the university's own testing sites, 97 out of the 1,810 tests collected during the time period were positive.\

In response, UGA President Jere W. Morehead called the rise in positive tests "concerning" on Twitter.

"It is critically important that all of our students continue to make every effort to prioritize their health and safety by taking the proper steps to avoid exposure to this virus," Morehead wrote. "I urge you: continue to wear your masks, maintain your distance from others, make wise decisions, and stay away from social venues where appropriate distancing is impossible to maintain."

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Morehead also asked students to be careful during the Labor Day weekend and "think about the health of everyone around you."

The rise in cases at UGA comes around the same time as Georgia Tech reported that its number of COVID-19 cases had doubled in a week, going from around 300 to 641 total positive cases since March.
 

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