Tracking: Coronavirus Cases at U.S. Colleges and Universities

Tracking Coronavirus Cases at U.S. Colleges and Universities Coronavirus cases appear to be slowing at colleges, a New York Times survey has found. Hundreds of schools have announced vaccine requirements for students returning in the fall. The New York Times

More than 260,000 coronavirus cases have been linked to American colleges and universities since Jan. 1, and more than 700,000 cases have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a New York Times survey of cases on campus.

Even though thousands of coronavirus cases have been reported at American colleges in recent weeks, infections appear to be slowing as classes end and as more people get vaccinated.

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Note: Percent change is shown only for schools that had at least 50 cases in 2020.

When many campuses reopened in the fall, outbreaks raced through dorms, infected hundreds of thousands of students and employees, and spread to the wider community. After students returned for the spring term this year, increased testing, social distancing rules and an improving national outlook helped curb the virus on many campuses. Gradually, college-age people became eligible for the vaccine and, by late April, everyone 16 or older could get a shot in every state.

In the spring term, counties with large populations of college students have seen total case numbers drop, in line with the national trend.

Still, many campuses have continued to contend with the virus, and some saw worse outbreaks this semester than in the spring or fall of 2020. The Times surveyed more than 1,900 colleges and universities for coronavirus information and found at least 50 colleges had reported more than 1,000 cases in 2021.

The Times has also identified more than 100 virus-related deaths involving college students and employees. The vast majority occurred in 2020 and involved employees.

Trinity University in San Antonio experienced two spikes in infections at the beginning of the year, according to Tess Coody-Anders, a vice president at the college. The first, she said, was anticipated when students returned from winter break after traveling across the country and world. She said the university was able to contain those cases quickly through testing, contact tracing and isolation.

The second spike occurred, she said, after power outages riddled Texas during a storm in February. Students on and off campus went days without power or running water, so some of those who still had electricity invited others to take showers and eat hot meals. ...