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Syracuse University has identified a cluster of coronavirus cases among students related to at least one off-campus party that took place late last week.

SU had identified as many as 45 new cases related to the cluster as of Tuesday evening and is expecting to find more in the coming days, Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie said in an SU News release. The university is asking any students who attended a gathering late last week or over the weekend at an apartment complex on Walnut Avenue to report to the testing center at the Carrier Dome beginning tomorrow at 10 a.m.

A significant number of SU students have also entered isolation or quarantine as the university works with county officials to trace the outbreak, Haynie said.

An initial investigation by SU suggests that the emerging cluster is the result of one or more students returning to campus after traveling outside of central New York to visit another college late last week, Haynie said. The university is working with the Onondaga County Health Department to identify and isolate all individuals exposed to the virus.

SU is tightening many coronavirus-related restrictions on campus in response to the increase in cases.

Until further notice, SU has canceled all in-person student activities with the exception of classes, associated coursework and intercollegiate athletics. This includes all student organization and university-sponsored events. SU has also closed the Barnes Center at The Arch and all satellite gyms, including Ernie Davis Fitness Center and workout spaces on the Women’s Building field.

The university will also limit in-person gatherings among students from a maximum of 25 to five or fewer.

All Greek Life-related events are canceled as well, with Haynie requesting that fraternities and sororities adopt a “no-visitors” policy at their chapter houses. Pam Peter, assistant dean of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at SU, sent an email to SU Greek life Tuesday afternoon urging fraternity and sorority members to receive COVID-19 testing “out of an abundance of caution.”

SU will release more information as it becomes available, Haynie said.

“The overwhelmingly positive and selfless behavior, exhibited by the vast majority of our students to this point in the semester, makes our current situation all the more disappointing,” Haynie said. “It will take quick and coordinated cooperation of the entire campus community to prevent this situation from expanding beyond our ability to control.”

Management at the 505 on Walnut apartment complex on Walnut Avenue sent an email to residents Tuesday stating the university’s statement did not pertain to them.

This is a developing story. This post will be updated with additional reporting.  

Published on October 6, 2020 at 12:45 pm

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu