COVID KEGGER

Coronavirus Infects at Least 40 in USC Frat Row Outbreak

Fraternities have been focal points of outbreaks at a number of universities.

An outbreak of the new coronavirus has sickened more than 40 students living on the block of student housing at the University of Southern California associated with fraternities. “A significant number of the cases were associated with four fraternity houses,” the university’s chief student health officer, Dr. Sarah Van Orman, told the Los Angeles Times, though the organizations sometimes lease out rooms during summertime. Around 150 total students at USC have contracted COVID-19. Referring to communal living arrangements in fraternities and the large student parties they host, Van Orman said, “When we think about the population size that they expose, it can quickly become quite large.” USC is encouraging students not to return to campus for the fall semester. The University of Washington and University of California Berkeley have faced similar outbreaks stemming from fraternities on their campuses.