PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Providence College said Friday that its remote-only learning plan put in place due to a coronavirus outbreak that has affected more than 200 students has been extended another week until Oct. 3.
Although the number of positive cases among students has been on the rise, the private Roman Catholic school has been aggressively testing students and staff and said its test positivity rate has been on the decline since the outbreak was reported on Sept. 16.
Most of the students who have tested positive live off campus.
A statewide surge in cases that led to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to add Rhode Island its its travel quarantine list was blamed this week by Gov. Gina Raimondo on the Providence College outbreak.
“We apologize sincerely for our part in exacerbating COVID-19 positivity rates in the state, and for putting the health of residents at risk,” the college said in a statement.
Off-campus students have been told not to leave their apartments, while on-campus students are not allowed off campus. The school has about 4,800 students.
Failure to comply “may result in permanent separation from the college,” the statement said.
