The latest cluster, defined as five or more nearby cases, has been traced to the Hinton James residence, the UNC said on Sunday. Individuals in the cluster have been identified. They are self-isolating and receiving medical follow-up, the university said.
On Saturday, UNC announced a cluster of coronavirus cases to the Sigma Nu fraternity. And on Friday, the university identified a cluster at the Ehringhaus community, a dormitory, and Granville Towers, a private apartment complex that serves as housing for some students.
The clusters illustrate the challenges of reopening schools and getting close to people as Covid-19 continues to spread widely across the state and country. North Carolina has a seven-day average of about 1,200 new coronavirus cases per day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Young people generally have milder outcomes from Covid-19 infection, but they are not immune to the virus and can pass it on to others.
The clusters also show how quickly the coronavirus can spread in a crowded community. On Thursday, Executive Vice-Chancellor and Provost Bob Blouin praised the community’s respect for its rules on coronaviruses.
“It has been encouraging to hear the reports from faculty and staff and see for myself the excellent compliance on campus this week,” he wrote. “Our goal, certainly, is the full participation both on campus and outside of all members of our Caroline community.
The UNC has said it will not release information on individual positive cases, but those who have come into close contact with people who test positive have been told.
Sigma Nu’s national headquarters has released information and resources on Covid-19 for fraternity members. The national fraternity did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
CNN’s Alaa Elassar, Kay Jones, Jordan Nash and Elaine Walker contributed to this report.
