Duke University to recommend masking when classes resume this week

As college students around the state resume classes this week, Duke University is encouraging students to wear masks to help stop the spread of illness as they head back to classrooms.

Classes resume Wednesday at Duke, where university leaders are considering possibly reinstating a mask mandate.

The state is seeing an expected surge in COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses following the holidays and new variants.

Cases reported to the state are up for the sixth straight week, with more than 22,000 current reported cases.

Emergency room visits for COVID-like symptoms are at 7.2%, up from 6.6% a week earlier.

Duke officials are now encouraging students to wear masks in class and in large group settings to help control the spread on campus.

North Carolina's latest COVID-19 numbers will be released Wednesday. At that time, university leaders will closely monitor the case count to determine how to move forward.

Masks could become mandatory in classrooms

According to the CDC, levels of COVID-19 spread are in the high category in most N.C. counties, including Durham.

A notice send to students, staff and faculty on Monday read, "If Durham remains at high risk for two consecutive weeks, we will return to mandatory masking in classrooms until the rating drops below high risk. Faculty members still have the option to request that students continue to wear masks in their classrooms if they wish to do so."

Students and employees can take PCR tests on campus, which are considered more accurate than rapid at-home tests.