Classroom-based instruction will return to James Madison University Oct. 5, following an outbreak at the beginning of the academic year and a subsequent decline in COVID-19 cases.

Since early September, instruction at the Harrisonburg, Va., school has been primarily virtual, as an outbreak of more than 500 cases spurred school officials to send students home. In the roughly three weeks since the shift was announced, the university has seen cases fall significantly, with 143 current active cases.

“De-densifying campus was a necessary step to protect the community. However, individuals must continue to follow public health guidance by wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands frequently,” reads a letter from school officials to the university community.

The school, which serves nearly 20,000 undergraduate students, reported 20 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, as well as 11 self-reported cases.

When the university resumes in-person and hybrid instruction early next month, it plans to institute several safety precautions to help limit further spread of the virus. These include additional isolation spaces, mandatory surveillance testing (in which 300 students without symptoms of the virus will be tested per week), and capping in-person classes to 50 or fewer students.

The school is also canceling its Oct. 22-23 fall break and is adding those two days of vacation to the end of the fall semester. It will hold all class sessions and exams online from Thanksgiving break through the rest of the semester.

JMU is one of several Virginia schools to witness an increase in cases after beginning in-person instruction this semester.

A number of colleges in the region have grappled with outbreaks of the virus in the past week. The University of Virginia instituted its first dorm-wide quarantine last week. The University of Maryland recently reported a spike in cases at a residence hall and is asking students there to limit their activity for two weeks. And an off-campus fraternity house at George Washington University closed to visitors after some members tested positive for the virus.

JMU officials say they will continue to evaluate the situation and make decisions accordingly.

“We are thankful to our community for their enduring support as we navigate these trying times together,” they write.

Previously:

Following 500-Plus COVID-19 Cases, JMU Goes Virtual And Asks Students To Return Home