AUSTIN, Texas — Three coronavirus clusters in West Campus near the University of Texas at Austin have resulted in about 100 positive COVID-19 cases, campus officials confirmed Sept. 9.
Officials said UT Health Austin and Austin Public Health are conducting contact tracing within these three clusters by reaching out to anyone who was within six feet of the people who tested positive.
The university is not disclosing where exactly those clusters are, "in compliance with applicable federal and state law."
“This affects us all because we use the same doorknobs and elevators and seat entrances and exits," said UT Junior PJ Chukwuraeh. "So, it makes no sense to restrict the information."
Chukwureah is calling for transparency from the University.
“We are owed some sort of transparency," said Chukwureah. "At least tell us where the hot spots are. ... No one is asking you to reveal the identity of these people because that's against HIPPA.”
UT added those 109 positive cases to its COVID-19 dashboard from people who didn't get tested on campus and also didn't self-report their positive cases. That means that, since the start of classes for the fall semester on Aug. 26, a total of 318 students have tested positive for Coronavirus, according to the university's dashboard.
"There is a football game in two days with 25,000 people, it's going to be a disaster," said Chukwuraeh.
To get into this weekend's football game, students who bought "The Big Ticket" season package have to test negative for COVID-19. The university is providing the free tests, which leaves Chukwuraeh wondering, why didn't the university use those resources and require students to get tested for COVID-19 before starting classes.
"I feel like UT is prioritizing profits over its students, faculty and staff," said Chukwuraeh.
"On Sept. 8, the university received data from Austin Public Health through our contact tracing agreement that included positive cases among students who had been tested outside of University Health Services (UHS) and had not self-reported their positives to the university," the university said on its website. "We have retroactively added these 109 positive cases to our dashboard."
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