More than 1,000 covid cases at Durham University as Sunderland University cases drop to just 13 in one week

NOTE: Story not updated 21/10. No new Durham data available and file perhaps starting to corrupt. Sunderland figures now at 120 students and 17 staff as of October 21. Ledwith.

Durham University has 1,220 confirmed cases as of yesterday, Wednesday, October 14, while Sunderland University has seen more than 120 people infected.

The number of cases at Durham rose by almost 1,000 in the last seven days.

Last week, the university asked students living in at two of its colleges – St Mary’s and Collingwood – to remain on the campus and only attend official activities for seven days.

As of Thursday, October 8, when the move was announced, around 50 of the total 300 students living in at St Mary’s had tested positive for coronavirus, while at Collingwood around 50 out of a total of 500 ‘livers in’, have tested positive.

A statement on the university’s website today, Thursday, October 15, says in the seven days to yesterday, there were 958 new cases confirmed among students and six among staff. In total 1,209 students and 11 staff have been confirmed to have the virus.

“Over the last seven days, the number of reported positive coronavirus cases in students and staff has been steady, with approximately 100-150 new reported cases each day,” says the statement.

“We are proactively and regularly monitoring and managing the situation with local and national public health experts and taking appropriate action where required.

“We have proactively managed the two significant outbreaks we have faced, in two of our colleges – St Mary’s College and Collingwood College - by introducing new measures for our students living in those colleges.”

A spokesperson for the University of Sunderland said: “As of October 14, 111 students and 13 staff have received a positive Covid-19 test since counting began at the beginning of this academic year. Of these cases, 13 are new in the last seven days.

"All of those affected continue to receive University support and cases are being managed according to public health requirements.

“While the rising numbers being reported across the UK are concerning, up to now we have seen a relatively slow growth in new infections in our University community. This is thanks to the consideration of our students and staff who continue to follow our ‘safe campus’ guidance, for which we are grateful.”

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