US' Cornell University reports over 900 COVID-19 cases, many infections are of Omicron variant
Dec 16, 2021
Ithaca [US], December 16 : Cornell University has reported 903 COVID-19 cases among students from December 7-13, and varsity officials have said that a "very high percentage" of them are Omicron variant cases in fully vaccinated individuals, reported CNN.
The COVID-19 dashboard of the university was updated late on Tuesday and showed a jump in the number of infections.
Joel Malina, Vice President for University Relations, said in a statement that virtually every case of the Omicron variant to date has been found in fully vaccinated students, a portion of whom had also received a booster shot. Nearly 97 per cent of the students in the university are vaccinated.
Due to the rise in infections, the university has announced the closure of the Ithaca campus, New York state.
Final semester exams have been moved online, athletics and other activities have been suspended while the libraries are ordered to be shut down till further orders.