Wake health officials urge college students to follow safety guidelines as N.C. State, UNC see more virus clusters

Young adults make up about one third of positive cases in Wake County, officials said. Those ages 18 to 24 make up 16% of all positive cases, and those between 25 and 34 make up 19%.

“We all want our kids to enjoy their college experience, but right now, they should choose low-risk activities like biking or outdoor dinner with a small group of friends,” said Wake County Medical Director Dr. Kimberly McDonald. “These pose a much lower risk to all involved than house parties or large gatherings.”

Officials with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University on Wednesday announced additional COVID-19 clusters on campus

The cases at N.C. State were discovered in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority house, which currently has seven positive cases, and the Kappa Delta sorority house, which has six positive cases. The cases at UNC are at the Morrison residence hall and Zeta Psi fraternity house. UNC did not include the total number of cases at its locations.

A “cluster” is defined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as five or more cases that are deemed close proximity or location.

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"The individuals in these clusters have been identified and are isolating and receiving medical monitoring," officials at UNC said in a statement on its website. "We have also notified the Orange County Health Department and are working with them to identify additional potential exposures.

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All residents in these living spaces will be provided access to additional information about the clusters and next steps. Contact tracing has been initiated with direct communication to anyone determined to have been a close contact with a positive individual. A close contact is defined as someone who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes when either person has not been wearing a face covering. Those identified as a close contact will be notified directly and provided with further guidance."

Officials at N.C. State also said they were taking appropriate actions in the wake of the new COVID-19 outbreaks.

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"All students who test positive as part of these clusters will be isolated, and all residents of both houses are being quarantined," officials at N.C. State said in a post on its website.

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Both universities said they will work closely with local health officials "to identify, trace and isolate potential positive cases both on and off campus for students, faculty and staff."