8- 12 Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides an enhanced method for tracing cases. 7Īs students returned to in-person learning, high-density clustering with on-campus housing and recreation potentially increased transmission and may have resulted in community outbreaks. 6 Adhering to physical distancing is also particularly challenging for young people, for whom interaction with peers and social networks is important. 4 In many IHE settings that are populated significantly by young adults ages 18-24, 5 there is less susceptibility to severe COVID-19 disease as compared to older populations (65+). 3 By February 2021, more than 530,000 COVID-19 cases linked to American IHEs had been identified. 1, 2 During the fall of 2020, as IHEs around the United States resumed in-person instruction, IHE-associated SARS-CoV-2 cases began to rise. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can spread rapidly within congregate settings, including institutions of higher education (IHEs). Coordinated implementation of prevention measures can effectively reduce SARS-CoV-2 spread in university settings and may limit spillover to the community surrounding the university. Genomic surveillance of cases from Dane County, where UW-Madison is located, did not find evidence of transmission from a large cluster of cases in the two residence halls quarantined during the outbreak. UW-Madison initiated multiple prevention efforts, including quarantining two residence halls a subsequent decline in cases was observed. Case counts began rising during move-in week for on-campus students (August 25-31, 2020), then rose rapidly during September 1-11, 2020. During August – October 2020, 3,485 students tested positive, including 856/6,162 students living in residence halls. Using genomic and epidemiologic data, we describe a COVID-19 outbreak at the University of Wisconsin (UW)–Madison.
University settings have demonstrated potential for COVID-19 outbreaks, as they can combine congregate living, substantial social activity, and a young population predisposed to mild illness.
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