By Luke Pawley
Recorded ‘active cases’ of COVID-19 among staff and students at De Montfort University have fallen by more than 100 in the last seven weeks.
The sharp fall can largely be attributed to the national lockdown in place over the month of November, while the most recent results are also owing to new lateral flow testing being conducted at the university’s The Watershed building.
The number of cases recorded between October 12 and October 18 was 136, which fell slightly to 132 the following week.
Between October 26 and November 1, however, the figure fell by a staggering 82 with just 50 cases recorded across campus that week.
It was early in the following week that Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new national restrictions – strongly resembling the previous lockdown bar some small exceptions – and the figures at De Montfort University lowered even further during this period.
Between November 2 and November 8, just 41 active cases were recorded on campus. While this figure grew to 52 the following week, it took a sharp fall to 29 on the week beginning November 16.
Last week, between November 23 and November 29, the number of active cases fell again with just 19 recorded on campus all week.
A disclaimer on the university’s COVID data webpage reads: “Please note, we are now seeing increasing numbers of the cases which we are reporting above not linked to DMU campus, but to home circumstances. The data is also showing a fall in cases in halls of residences and more cases appearing in private homes.
“Additionally, in consultation with the local authority outbreaks have been reclassified. The figure above is the number of live outbreaks (i.e. within 10 days of last known positive case).”
Lateral flow testing is available to all staff and students at The Watershed, with the end goal being that everyone working on campus will be tested twice a week at the facility.
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