'Everyone Was Expecting It:' University Of Pittsburgh Seeing Spike In COVID-19 Cases
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The University of Pittsburgh is seeing another big jump in COVID-19 cases, while a shelter-in-place period continues for students.
Pitt officials have stressed how critical it is for students to follow the mitigation measures and shelter-in-place period this weekend and the week ahead.
The University of Pittsburgh reported on Friday that 51 students tested positive for COVID-19 in three days, March 30th to April 1st. The latest numbers also said 92 students are in isolation.
The five-day moving average of positive cases per day went from 8.6 to 13.
"I'm not surprised, I feel like after St. Patrick's day, everyone was expecting it," said Anna Jacobs, a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh.
"Definitely parties and mostly off-campus," said Aquinnah Silverman, a freshman at Pitt.
A shelter-in-place period began Wednesday night.
The university is asking students to: "Only leave your room or residence to attend classes, in-person exams, labs, or clinicals in person, pick up food, exercise safely, study in the library or other approved study area, attend religious services, work when necessary, and shop for essentials and medical needs."
The university also asks students to limit close contacts to just their pod or roommates and visitors are not allowed in the residence halls.
"I'd rather be bored than unsafe so I'm not too mad about it," said Tyler Pruitt, a freshman at Pitt.
"I mean mental health-wise; it is very difficult to sit in a dorm room and be in there forever," said Paige Taylor, another freshman.
It's not an ideal situation for many freshmen.
"It can be really hard to manage all this, also like going through this change and coming to college for the first time, there's just a lot going on," said Taylor.
A university official said the shelter-in-place applies to on and off-campus students and added, "not following health restrictions risks sanctions for violating the student code of conduct."
"I really hope people decide to not be selfish and just look at the bigger picture. It's not hard to go online and look at the news and be like, this is bigger than my want to go to a party," said Abby Morgan, a freshman.
With the U.K variant present on campus and Allegheny County cases spiking too, worries are piling up about what comes next.
"If everybody does follow the rules, and it does get better quicker then we will be able to slowly re-open some things," said James Rickard, a freshman at Pitt.
"If we all come together and realize we got to get our crap together, that'll be amazing," said Taylor.
The university encourages students to report any behavior that goes against the current health rules.
A university official said if a student breaks the rules, the university's "student conduct process" will be followed.