WESTFIELD- Westfield State University reported just two positive COVID-19 cases in a further sign of the waning severity of the pandemic locally.
Both of the positive tests came from Westfield State students. No Westfield State employees tested positive for COVID-19 this week for the first time since the semester began.
The cases were detected as part of the mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing program for students and employees on the Westfield State campus. At total of 1,591 tests were administered this week, giving the campus a weekly percent-positivity rate of just 0.126 percent.
Westfield State has reported 20 positive cases since Jan. 23. Of the 20 cases, 18 were students and two were employees of Westfield State.
The total percent-positivity rate for the campus so far this semester is just 0.416 percent, which is far lower than the local averages. The steadily decreasing weekly case counts follows a national trend of falling cases. A total of 11 cases were reported in the first round of tests, while only seven were reported the following week. The reporting of just two cases is a sign that there is little to no community spread of COVID-19 at at Westfield State.
Just 750 students returned to campus for in-person learning this semester, compared to approximately 3,000 students in a typical semester.
