(WWJ) Many students are back in the classroom this week, with many more returning next week after Labor Day.
It adds up to concern for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"I'm concerned, I'm concerned about our college campuses," Whitmer told WWJ's Vickie Thomas. "I know that as we resume some of this activity, we're going to see an increase in COVID cases and we really want to keep that to a minimum. And that's why we're really imploring everyone to keep their guard up and do what they need to do to protect ourselves."
The number of coronavirus cases on Central Michigan University's campus have nearly doubled in the last week. The latest figures are 142 cases, up from 79 in the middle of August. The Health Department reports 178 cases have been connected in the Mount Pleasant area to students -- either current or former. Many of those cases have been tied to opening weekend parties on campus.
After the rising cases were revealed, university president Robert Davies apologized for playing games outside of a house party on opening weekend.
A local public health emergency was declared in the area after the spike in cases, limiting all gatherings to 25 people or less.
"At this point, we are not seeing community spread from existing cases," Davies wrote in a letter to students and their families. "The data seems to uphold our decision to continue to offer in-person instruction. We will continue to monitor this virus closely and to work alongside our partners in the health department and local government to make decisions about our operations."
