The figures on this page show the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases identified by University testing each week. They include data from our Asymptomatic COVID-19 Screening Programme.
We provide a robust testing regime for our staff and students. For students resident in our Colleges and many of those living in private accommodation, we offer a weekly asymptomatic screening programme. For staff and students with symptoms of possible COVID-19, we have two dedicated testing pods.
Because of the proactive nature of our testing, we identify significant numbers of asymptomatic cases. These figures are therefore not comparable with other institutions conducting symptomatic - but not asymptomatic - testing. Our approach allows us to minimise the time between infection and identification, then minimise transmission by supporting students to self-isolate.
Total number of positive cases identified by University testing
| Week | Students | Staff | Total number of positive cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-10 October 2021 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 11-17 October 2021 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| 18-24 October 2021 | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| 25-31 October 2021 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 1-7 November 2021 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 8-14 November 2021 | 11 | 4 | 15 |
| 15-21 November 2021 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
| 22-28 November 2021 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 29 Nov - 5 Dec 2021 | 21 | 2 | 23 |
The data above represent the total number of cases identified by University testing. They do not include results from lateral flow tests (LFTs), or from students or staff tested by the NHS. All cases have been followed-up and, where appropriate, supported to self-isolate.
Detailed breakdown by type of testing
Positive cases identified by University asymptomatic screening
| Week | Number of students screened* | Number of confirmed positive cases | Positivity rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-10 Oct 2021 | 4,622 | 1 | 0.02 |
| 11-17 Oct 2021 | 5,122 | 16 | 0.31 |
| 18-24 Oct 2021 | 5,208 | 8 | 0.15 |
| 25-31 Oct 2021 | 4,947 | 1 | 0.02 |
| 1-7 Nov 2021 | 4,798 | 5 | 0.10 |
| 8-14 Nov 2021 | 4,559 | 8 | 0.18 |
| 15-21 Nov 2021 | 2,304** | 5 | 0.22 |
| 22-28 Nov 2021 | 1,903** | 8 | 0.42 |
| 29 Nov-5 Dec 2021 | 3,748 | 13 | 0.35 |
Cases identified by the pooled Asymptomatic COVID-19 Screening Programme are only counted after positive individual confirmatory tests. To avoid double-counting, these individual confirmatory tests are not included in the ‘Number of students screened’. Data for the ‘Number of students screened’ using LFTs are not included or available.
Please note that, because students screened are not a representative sample, the overall prevalence in all students may be lower or higher than this positivity rate.
*Because of incomplete test registration, we estimate (based on 3 “swab-counting” exercises in October and November 2021) that the actual number of students screened is approximately 25-40% greater than stated (approximately 5,700-7,000 in the weeks assessed).
**During this week, participating students from 50% of testing pools were invited to contribute swabs.
Weekly report from the Asymptomatic COVID-19 Screening Programme
Positive cases identified by University symptomatic testing
| Week | Number of tests (students and staff) | Number of confirmed positive cases | Positivity rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-10 Oct 2021 | 114 | 4 | 3.5 |
| 11-17 Oct 2021 | 221 | 13 | 5.9 |
| 18-24 Oct 2021 | 150 | 6 | 4 |
| 25-31 Oct 2021 | 135 | 9 | 6.7 |
| 1-7 Nov 2021 | 103 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 8-14 Nov 2021 | 120 | 7 | 5.8 |
| 15-21 Nov 2021 | 142 | 8 | 5.6 |
| 22-28 Nov 2021 | 162 | 5 | 3.1 |
| 29 Nov-5 Dec 2021 | 234 | 10 | 4.3 |