The UNI Student Health Center reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 among the campus community over the past week, bringing the campus’ cumulative total to 147 since the semester began.

According to the university’s COVID-19 data report released on Friday, Sept. 18. the Student Health Center conducted a total of 101 COVID-19 tests from Sept. 14-20. This calculates to a 11.88% positivity rate for on-campus testing over the past week.

As compared with the previous week, both the number of positive cases and the positivity rate declined. During the period from Sept. 7-13, the Student Health Center had reported 20 positive cases with a 13.61% positivity rate.

Numbers from the Northern Iowan’s last COVID-19 update may not align with these results, however, since the Friday updates only include data as collected through Thursday of that week. Friday numbers are added to the weekly total by noon on the following Monday and are therefore not included in the NI’s weekly analysis.

As of Sept. 18, the DOR reported that there are currently 26 individuals in quarantine and six in isolation.

Since Sept. 14, 14 new positive cases of COVID-19 have been self-reported by students, while one new positive case has been self-reported by a UNI employee. However, these self-reported cases may also be counted in the Student Health Center weekly totals and therefore, the numbers cannot be combined for a grand total.

In a campus-wide update on Thursday, Sept. 17, UNI President Mark Nook described the declining number of positive cases and number of students in isolation and quarantine as “important milestones” in the campus’ fight against COVID-19.

However, he urged students to “avoid becoming complacent” regarding the virus, and to continue to practice the well-known public safety measures of mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing.

“Please be willing to step away when you observe others aren’t maintaining these practices,” he wrote. “It’s only by collectively making wise choices — avoiding gatherings where physical distancing can’t be maintained, whether indoors or outdoors, and getting tested when needed — that we have a chance at finishing this semester in-person.”