College campuses nationwide becoming COVID-19 hotspots

NEW YORK - Across the country, the number of coronavirus cases among college students continues to rise, forcing some colleges and universities like SUNY Oneonta to shut down its campus and send students back home. Officials there blaming parties for the outbreak.

“This is proof that the virus has not gone anywhere. It’s still very much here, it’s still rampant and we cannot let our guard down,” said Dr. Purvi Parikh of NYU Langone Health.

Now, SUNY Albany has become the latest college in New York to deal with a surge of COVID-19  cases.

The health department says there are more than 40 cases there, and 31 of those cases were reported in the past 24 hours.

"It’s very concerning because we don’t know what can happen to the rest of our student body,” sad Yelena “Yely” Reyes, a senior at UAlbany.

The president of the university says clusters have been found in the athletic department and in off-campus housing. He has suspended all athletic activities and is threatening to suspend the rest of the fall semester.

"If you are jeopardizing us it’s not fair. I’m actually a little nervous I’m not gonna lie I want to spend my last year here," said Reyes.

Meanwhile, bodycam footage shows the moment a group of Miami University students get caught hosting a house party with more than 10 people, which is not allowed.

But what happens next is shocking: The officer runs the host's ID and is stunned to find out he has already tested positive for COVID-19. There is a back and forth between the officer and the student and the officer tells the student there is an input on the computer that says he has tested positive for the virus. He asks the student for clarification and the student tells the officer he got a positive result a week ago.

The officer then asks, “Aren't you supposed to be quarantining?"

The student answers and says, “Yeah that is why I am at my house."

The student goes on to admit that everyone who was in that house has the virus.

Meanwhile, health experts say college campus outbreaks can be very dangerous.

"If these kids are returning home and not quarantining or not appropriately contact tracing with everyone they’ve been in contact with we can have a situation where our infection rate can rise," said Dr. Parikh.