Nearly half of the states in the U.S. are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks on college campuses, and classes have barely even started for most of them.
CNN reports campuses in at least 24 states have had students and staff test positive for the virus. In all, that accounts for more than 3,300 total cases as the fall semester gets started.
When you look back to the start of the pandemic, that number jumps. The New York Times has tracked cases since last semester. Its reporting shows 26,000+ confirmed cases across more than 750 schools.
Some schools have moved classes online after major outbreaks, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Notre Dame. The University of Alabama saw a major spike this week, with more than 500 cases. And The Ohio State University temporarily suspended 228 students for breaking its rules around the pandemic before classes there even started.
