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In the weekly report on COVID-19 at Uppsala University, the curve turned downwards during the final weeks of last year, but this has been followed by a somewhat ominous upturn this week.

“Our general assessment is that the situation at Uppsala University is calm, though with a slightly ominous increasing trend of confirmed infections this week,” says the University’s coronavirus coordinator Fredrik Blomqvist.

He adds, “As we all know, the health services are under tremendous strain due to the current infection rates, and we hope the University will stay at the present relatively low levels of confirmed infection among staff and student groups.”

To summarise the infection situation, as of 8 January there have been 480 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the semester.

This figure breaks down as follows:

• 405 Bachelor’s and Master’s students (including 9 (+1) on Gotland) – an increase of 17 cases.
• 11 doctoral students – no increase.
• 64 members of staff – an increase of 11 cases, one person at Campus Gotland.

If you are confirmed infected, the Communicable Diseases Act requires you to inform people who have been in your proximity and whom you may have infected.
Uppsala University has created an online procedure to help you do this anonymously.

If you are confirmed infected with COVID-19, it is very important that you make sure to stay at home: do not go to campus, to exam rooms or to work – and keep up to date with the infection control unit’s rules of conduct.

Across the disciplinary domains

The 405 Bachelor’s and Master’s students confirmed infected are distributed across the disciplinary domains as follows (change from previous week in parentheses):

• Hum/Sam – 161 (+4) confirmed cases
• Med/Farm – 188 (+12) confirmed cases
• Tek/Nat – 56 (+1) confirmed cases

The confirmed cases can be linked to 229 different courses and programmes (different semesters). 81 courses/programmes have more than two confirmed cases.

Managing confirmed infections in education

When an infection is confirmed, the disciplinary domain concerned deals with the question of whether teaching should continue to be conducted on campus (if that is currently being done) or whether there is reason to switch to online education. Region Uppsala carries out contact tracing and contacts the individuals deemed necessary in view of the contacts reported by the infected person. The University has no responsibility for this process.

Number of cases in Region Uppsala and in Region Gotland

Number of people confirmed infected in Region Uppsala: week 51 (14-20 December)1629, week 52 (21-27 December)1204 and week 53 (28 Dec-3 January)1363. Number of people confirmed infected in Region Gotland: week 51 (14-20 December)198, week 52 (21-27 December)121 and week 53 (28 Dec-3 January) 116.

Source: Public Health Agency of Sweden

 

Johan Ahlenius