Students, leaders worried about the spread of COVID-19 as clusters pop up at universities across the country

CHARLOTTE — Just days into the start of classes, several campuses across North Carolina are reporting growing COVID-19 case counts and clusters -- some are linked to parties.

The number of cases at UNC-Chapel Hill now means that they are going all virtual.

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North Carolina State University Chancellor Randy Woodson announced Thursday that all undergraduate in-person instruction will shift to remote learning after hundreds of students had to be quarantined due to the coronavirus.

>> Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the pandemic -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

“Overall, I kind of saw it coming,” said Patrick Hains, student at N.C. State. “You can see from the windows of apartment buildings there are 30-plus people in one apartment and then there’s off campus housing that’s also throwing parties. It’s everywhere.”

Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris has a message as students prepare to return to the UNCC campus.

“This is an all hands-on deck kind of situation as students come back,” Harris said. “We need everyone who is engaged and involved with these students to help make sure that we are enforcing the measures that have been put in place. And that students are acting reasonably and appropriately.”

County health leaders concerned as more universities report COVID-19 cases, clusters

Cox Media Group