DeKALB – Northern Illinois University announced just two new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the lowest single-day total since Nov. 11.
Both new cases were in students. There also were seven new recoveries reported Wednesday, including four students and three NIU employees. There remain 45 active cases on campus, 38 of them in students and seven in staff.
To date, there have been a total of 566 COVID-19 cases on campus, and 521 recoveries (474 in students and 47 in staff).
The school did not conduct full surveillance testing last week because of the Thanksgiving holiday, testing just 17 students with no positive cases. For the week of Nov. 16, there were eight positives in 739 tests, a rate of 1.1%.
The school's quarantine and isolation stayed at 5.5%.
The university first welcomed students back to campus Aug. 19, and classes began Aug. 24. Students living on campus were required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test before moving in.
Post Thanksgiving-break, NIU classes that weren't already being offered online will be transitioned to remote as able, though some courses could remain in person, with the campus and residential halls open still for students. The Spring 2020 semester will not have any in-person Class of 2020 graduations or a spring break. No decision has yet been made on any spring graduations for the Class of 2021.
According to the school, a 14-day quarantine begins after individuals first show signs of symptoms, not when they receive a positive test for the virus. A case is considered recovered after the 14-day period is over.
Although specific surveillance testing results are reported weekly on Mondays, positive tests found through the program are included in daily statistics.
Daily COVID-19 case data from the DeKalb County Health Department may not reflect daily data from NIU because some students or employees may live outside the county and still test positive for the virus.