James Madison University is pausing most in-person instruction amid a growing number of covid-19 cases on campus. (James Madison University Creative Media)

James Madison University has halted in-person instruction for at least the rest of the month as the campus deals with a “rapid increase” in the number of coronavirus cases, the school’s president announced Tuesday.

More than 500 active cases of the coronavirus have been reported since July 1, including roughly 150 positive cases among tests taken at the university’s health center, according to the school’s coronavirus dashboard used to track the virus’s presence on campus. More than 370 students and employees have reported contracting the virus since Aug. 17.

Out of 83 tests performed on students and employees at the university’s health center Monday, 18 had positive results, according to the school’s dashboard.

The university in Harrisonburg, Va., invited students to begin moving onto campus Aug. 21. A mix of in-person, online and hybrid classes started Aug. 26.

Now, the school is asking students to return home by this coming Monday, when in-person classes are expected to transition online, Jonathan R. Alger, the university president, wrote in a message to the campus. Some specialized classes, including graduate research, will be offered in a hybrid format, Alger added.

“This is a difficult message to deliver, and while it is made in the best interest of public health and safety, we know it will come as a disappointment to many,” Alger wrote. He also advised students returning to their homes away from campus to self-isolate for two weeks upon arriving to their destination.

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Alger also cited concerns about a potential bed shortage for sick students who need to be isolated. JMU’s dashboard shows 79 out of 143 beds reserved for self-isolation have been allocated to individuals who have contracted the virus.

Students who have already started to self-isolate have been told to finish their prescribed period of separation before leaving campus, Alger said.

The university will make a decision about students’ return to campus by Sept. 25, Alger said. Face-to-face instruction could resume on or after Oct. 5 if university and health officials deem it to be safe.

“Protecting the health of our Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community—including students, faculty, staff—is our top priority, and we need to act swiftly to stop the spread as best we can,” Alger wrote.

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