COVID outbreak in UW’s Greek community alarms health workers

KING COUNTY, Wash. — King County Health workers said they were investigating a sizable increase of Covid-19 cases at the University of Washington’s Greek community.

As of Oct. 5, 163 positive cases have been confirmed among 12 fraternities and sororities.

“We do know that there were gatherings happening. Many of those gatherings did not involve students wearing masks,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County Health.

KIRO 7 witnessed one of those gatherings firsthand.

On Saturday afternoon, more than a dozen students held a beer pong party at Greek Row.

Partygoers brought plenty to drink, yet they seemed to leave their masks at home.

Additionally, social distancing was virtually nonexistent.

“It’s super embarrassing,” said Darius Rudner, a construction contractor at the University of Washington. “I feel like people should be smarter than that, because it’s a big problem obviously.”

“People spend most of the time indoors,” added construction contractor Uriel Palacious. “When you spend most of the time in lockdown, you wanna go out and have fun. It’s doesn’t matter that you’re taking chances--- especially when you’re young, that’s what you do.”

At Greek Row, nearly a dozen fraternities and sororities have been impacted.

“They probably don’t think it’ll affect them,” Rudner told KIRO 7. “Until Covid affects somebody they know or themselves, I feel like they’re not gonna take it seriously.”

According to health workers, the increase of cases at Greek Row has been made all the more alarming because the new school year just started.

Classes resumed on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and already the number of new cases is spiking.

Health workers added that Covid-19 cases at on-campus dorms have actually been incredibly low.

According to the University of Washington, 1,600 residents have been tested in the last week.

So far, workers said that only five of those students have come back as being Covid-19 positive.

University of Washington employees added that fraternities and sororities could soon face sanctions, including rescinding university recognition, if Covid-19 protocols are not followed.

Cox Media Group