Over 2,100 University of Tennessee students, staff quarantined

More than 2,100 students and staff at the University of Tennessee have quarantined as its Knoxville campus has witnessed a recent spike in the number of coronavirus cases. "We now have 2,112 people in quarantine or self-isolation. Of these, 1,939 are students, split nearly equally between on-campus and off-campus residence," Xinhua news agency on Wednesday quoted Chancellor Donde Plowman as saying.

"Our case counts are going up way too fast, and we will need more drastic measures to stop the upward trajectory," she said. The Chancellor added that the university had 600 active Covid-19 cases as of Monday. Among the infected, 592 were students, and eight were employees.

She expressed frustration about "fraternity leaders communicating to houses how to have parties and avoid being caught, avoid the police. Stories of a fraternity renting space off-campus to have their party, crammed with lots of people in close quarters". "Telling fraternity members not to get tested, or how to get tested so the results aren't shared with the university."

So far colleges and universities across the US reported more than 37,000 active coronavirus cases from all 50 states, according to the CNN report. A number of campuses have already had to cancel in-person classes.