Coronavirus cases among students at University of Sheffield rises to 36

The institution said it aware of three confirmed cases of coronavirus among its academic staff and 36 among its student community as of Tuesday, September 29.

Last Friday, the university told The Star that it had one confirmed staff case of coronavirus and six confirmed student cases, with those affected and their households quarantining as per government guidelines

On Monday, however, the numbers rose to two and 29 respectively.

The University said: “We have around 8,000 staff members and typically have a student body of around 29,000.

"When we receive notification of a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19, we follow detailed processes and procedures, including tracking and tracing to reduce onward transmission, communications to relevant staff and students, and deep cleaning of affected areas where appropriate.

"Staff and students who are confirmed as having Covid-19 are asked to share details of their close contacts to allow us to inform those that will need to self-isolate in line with government guidelines.

“When a member of the University community tests positive, they self-isolate with their household in line with government guidelines."

It added: “We recognise how difficult it is for students who are new to Sheffield and need to self-isolate because of Covid-19 cases.

“To make sure we are supporting students in the best way possible, we will contact all students who are self-isolating to check on their welfare and offer practical and emotional support. We will also make sure that all students know how to access our mental health and wellbeing services while isolating.”

For those staying in University of Sheffield accommodation, they will also receive support in accessing medication, shopping and food deliveries, and a range of online residence life activities to support engagement and community building among other things.

The university said: "We are in continuous contact with Sheffield City Council, Public Health England and other partners to make sure that we are sharing information about the local situation and responding to the latest guidance.”

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