The University identified another 82 unique cases of COVID-19 after nearly 12,000 tests on Monday, the highest single-day total since Sept. 4. 

The spike comes two days after Halloween, where gatherings on and off campus likely contributed to virus spread. 

The virus has seen a resurgence on campus in October. The seven-day average of daily cases briefly dropped below 10 per day on Oct. 19. As of Monday, it’s up to 35 per day for the last week, including 74 new cases on Oct. 26. 

There are just two weeks remaining until fall break begins and tens of thousands of students pack up and head back to their homes for a winter of fully online classes. 

If students, faculty or staff come into contact with the virus before then, they may not be able to go home on time, or at all. 

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District requires anyone who tests positive for the virus to isolate for 10 days. Anyone who comes in contact with a COVID-19-positive person must quarantine for two weeks after exposure, testing again on the fifth or sixth day of quarantine. 

A UI student who tests positive past Nov. 10 won’t be able to leave on time. Any UI student who comes into close contact with a COVID-19 positive person after Nov. 6 will face challenges as well. 

CUPHD doesn’t allow close contacts to “test out” of quarantine, or end their quarantine periods after a few negative tests. 

The University has conducted 710,157 tests since its testing program kicked off on July 6, identifying 3,240 cases of COVID-19. 

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