Coronavirus cases reported in fraternity, sorority housing in Auburn, North Carolina

Two other universities on Tuesday reported cases of coronavirus among students living in Greek housing, a day after Oklahoma State University began its semester with an entire sorority in quarantine.

At Auburn University, a fraternity dormitory and a floor of a sorority dormitory were quarantined for two weeks after an undisclosed number of students linked to the accommodation tested positive for the virus, NBC subsidiary WSAV reported in Savannah, Georgia.

North Carolina State University has said it has identified a cluster of coronavirus as well as a number of distinct cases within the Greek life community, NBC affiliate WRAL reported in Raleigh. .

The cluster, which the state defines as five or more linked cases, was linked to an off-campus housing location in Raleigh.

“Several people who have tested positive as part of this group have been identified, including some who are students from the state of North Carolina,” a statement from the university said. “Contact tracing was initiated with direct communication with anyone known to have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.”

The school press release says a party was held in the off-campus housing on August 6 and anyone who was at that party is encouraged to follow up with a doctor or student health services.

A spokesperson for the university said eight members of the school’s fraternities and sororities have tested positive for the coronavirus, WRAL reported. Since the cases are in six separate fraternities or sororities but are not grouped into a single house, these cases are not considered a group.

School officials did not immediately respond to messages requesting information about the cluster and cases related to fraternities and sororities. But the university reported 27 new positive cases among students on Wednesday, in addition to 41 students who tested positive for the coronavirus between August 11 and August 17.

Auburn University officials did not immediately return NBC News requests for comment on Wednesday. School on Tuesday announced that masks should be worn both inside and outside on campus.

Oklahoma State University began its semester on Monday with the entire Pi Beta Phi sorority in quarantine after 23 members tested positive for the coronavirus.