COVID cases surge in college towns

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in counties with colleges and universities as classes go back into session.

Grand Valley State University has seen 166 new cases of the virus since last week. An outbreak at Adrian College has led to 233 new cases in Lenawee County. Michigan Tech University has 19 new cases. And Isabella County, home to Central Michigan University, is under a public health emergency since students began returning to campus.

Not all Michigan college towns are seeing a surge of cases. So far Kalamazoo County is weathering the start of school relatively well. Western Michigan University, where classes resumed Wednesday, reported just 16 new cases the past two weeks. The university plans to report its COVID-19 stats each Friday.

Nonetheless, students have protested the school’s reopening plans.

WMU senior Larkin Babbit told MLive that the school can’t keep students from attending parties and doing other things that could spread the virus.

“Putting our lives and the people who are respecting those rules at the mercy of people who – either poor-intentioned or not – aren’t compliant, is really scary,” she said.