Rowan Sees Spike In Coronavirus Cases As It Reopens For Fall

GLASSBORO, NJ — Rowan University now has 190 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and the town and university will hold a public meeting to discuss the outbreak Wednesday night. The number of coronavirus cases at Rowan University has jumped from 54 to 190 since Aug. 25.

As of Aug. 25, there were 54 positive cases of the coronavirus on campus, according to the university’s website. From Aug. 26-29, 23 new cases were reported. That number continued to jump, particularly among off-campus students.

As of Aug. 26-29, there were 17 off-campus students who had tested positive for the coronavirus. More than twice that number (36) tested positive the following week, and another 49 tested positive over the weekend. The total number of cases among off-campus students is now 102.

There was a similar jump among students on-campus, from six up to 86 in a little under a month. "On campus" students are people who live or work on campus, or were on campus for a significant amount of time. “Off campus” students are people who tested positive, but do not live or work on campus and have not been on campus while they were infected.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Glassboro Mayor John Wallace and borough officials will host a panel discussion to answer questions about Rowan’s plan and safety measures for students as they navigate their way through the pandemic.

It will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday night. Residents can participate online or by phone. Instructions on how to participate are posted on glassboro.org.

Rowan University began its fall semester with a mix of remote and in-person learning. Students have been able to live on campus from the start of the semester, with enhanced health and safety measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Read more here: Rowan University To Start Fall With In-Person, Remote Learning

There are about 4,088 students on campus this semester, according to nj.com.

See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know