(WWJ) 30 households in East Lansing have been ordered to undergo mandatory quarantine for two weeks because of COVID-19 exposure.
The emergency order, issued by Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail, includes 23 fraternity and sorority houses and seven large rental houses connected with Michigan State University.
Read the state's new report on outbreaks in schools and universities HERE
The Ingham County Health Department said they will continue to monitor the outbreaks and will place additional households under quarantine if deemed necessary.
Over the weekend, The Health Department “strongly recommended” all Michigan State University students self-quarantine for two weeks.
Health officials say it is no longer voluntary and is now an order for those 30 households.
At least 342 cases of COVID-19 have been identified in people connected to the university.
“I do not take this lightly, but there is an outbreak centered on Michigan State University (MSU) and it is quickly becoming a crisis,” Vail says in the release “The surge in cases we have seen over the past few weeks is alarming. I am disheartened to add that this outbreak is being fueled in part by a lack of cooperation and compliance from some MSU students, many residing in the properties now under mandatory quarantine. We must contain COVID-19 cases; however, within the MSU community we have been unable to do so with comprehensive contact tracing so other means of disease containment are necessary.”
The Ingham County Health Department says East Lansing has seen a 52 percent increase in coronavirus cases since the semester began around August 24, and the percent positivity rate has jumped from 2% to 5%. Half of all new cases countywide are in East Lansing, and the majority are MSU students.
Related: Michigan State University Reverses Course, To Go Online Only This Fall Due To COVID Fears
Under the emergency order, students are only allowed to leave their homes to get medical care or necessities that cannot be delivered. People living outside those households cannot come over to visit. Violating quarantine is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months of jail time, an up to $200 fine, or both.
Quarantine is slated to end Monday, September 28, 11:59 p.m.
Meantime, The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released a new report on outbreaks in schools and colleges across the state.
The report says Grand Valley State University has had the most cases statewide with 438 people testing positive; Adrian College, 229; University of Michigan, 77. Several other colleges and universities have reported a much smaller number of cases.
The most cases in a Metro Detroit K-12 school is in Oakland Christian Elementary School in Auburn Hills, where four cases have been tied to students and staff.