Winona State University is under a two-week quarantine as of Tuesday through Sept. 22.
The closure to the public and most in-person classes comes amid an increase in COVID-19 cases in the area centered from the campus. All non-essential campus activities are cancelled through Sept. 22.
Classes being held in person will shift online. Classes that require in-person instruction or coursework will be held under increased precautions.
“The university is not currently aware of any serious illness related to COVID-19 within the WSU community,” the school's president, Scott R. Olson, wrote in a statement. “However, we are seeing an increase in asymptomatic transmission, and we have a responsibility to our students, our employees, and to our community to respond accordingly. We recognize that the recent increase in cases is not only impacting our campus, but the entire Winona community.”
Winona State University's COVID-19 dashboard lists 97 confirmed cases among students and staff as of Aug. 30 with 148 students or staff in isolation on and off campus due to confirmed cases or possible exposure to infection and 122 people in quarantine due to possible exposure.
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Those numbers are scheduled to be updated Wednesday with the numbers through Sunday.
COVID-19 cases in Winona County overall have more than doubled since the beginning of August, when the county had recorded 243 total confirmed cases, to Tuesday, with 622 total cases among residents there. On Tuesday, Winona County saw the largest single-day increase in cases in the state outside of the Twin Cities metro area.
However, that only tells part of the story. Area health officials say some students who list their home address off campus and outside Winona County have had COVID-positive test results counted toward the cases listed in their home county and not in Winona County.
Positive Cases by County
Minnesota Positive Cases
Minnesota Deaths
