More Than 1,200 Students at the University of Alabama Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus

Students in certain districts are starting to return to school...

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The move had divided opinion among parents and students.

And it seems as though what everyone expected has happened.

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As nearly 100,000 children have tested positive for coronavirus in just two weeks after returning to school.

Many wouldn't believe that we're still living through a global pandemic...

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But believe it or not, we still are.

The Black Lives Matter movement has been dominating headlines over the last few weeks...

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Which is exactly what should be happening, of course.

But it seems that many people have forgotten that a global pandemic has seized the entire world...

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And even though numbers of infections are steadily dropping in many countries, our country continues to be the worst affected.

There are currently over 2 million actives cases of the virus here in America.

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It just doesn't seem to be phasing people anymore.

Many individuals seem to be forgetting that the virus is passed on through close contact...

Such as coughing, sneezing, and touching things with your bare hands.

This is why many government officials have stressed the importance of wearing facemasks in public spaces...

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Because even though they can't protect a person fully from catching or spreading the virus, they lower that chance significantly.

In many parts of the world, it is now mandatory to wear a form of facial covering in public...

And New York City is one of those places.

But regardless of this...

The number of coronavirus cases continues to steadily rise, with many parts of the country even tightening lockdown restrictions yet again.

It just seems that many of us aren't learning...

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And more and more lives are being put at risk because of this.

Of course, healthcare workers are continuing to work harder than ever to save lives...

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And that's not just here in America... it's happening all around the world where infection rates continue to climb.

Despite the risks, some schools and universities are opening their doors again.

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Resulting in a massive spike in virus cases...

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, almost 100,000 students have been infected, and people are furious...

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97,000 children tested positive for the virus from July 16 to July 30.

Dr. Tina Hartert of Vanderbilt University says increased testing of children is needed to understand the risks they're facing.

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This becomes essential as some school districts go back to class this month.

DIY testing kits have been sent to some 2,000 families with children that could be at risk.

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"The kits are shipped to the families, they are taught how to collect these samples, and then the samples are sent back by the families to a central repository," she said

They've been sent out across the two largest school districts California Los Angeles and San Diego.

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With a combined student population of 720,000, they've made the wise decision to start the school year via remote learning due to the risk.

Mayor Bill De Blasio pledged officials "have worked incessantly to get this right."

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The mayor assured officials looked at examples of returning to in-person school "from all around the world" to assure kids would be safe.

De Blasio said parents had to register students for upcoming classes.

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The virus didn't appear to be a threat to children at first, however, in July alone more than 25 children have died from it.

Teachers and school districts are struggling to find ways to keep staff and students safe while also getting back to work.

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Colleges are among the most affected, as they look for new ways to reopen while assuring the safety of students.

Administrators have spelled out the rules that faculty and students have to abide by.

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Stating that failure to wear masks, practice social distancing, and avoid mass gatherings could bring serious consequences, even getting kicked out of school.

At Tulane University in New Orleans students have been told that gatherings of more than fifteen people aren’t allowed.

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And other colleges have brought out similar rules, with Yale pledging a commitment for students to remain in Connecticut during the fall semester through November 21. While Ohio State University’s students will be required to conduct daily health checks.

Whether this will prevent a further spike in coronavirus cases, we aren't completely sure.

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However in Alabama, the university has been hit exceptionally hard.

There's been more than 1,200 positive cases.

More than 1,200 students and 166 employees at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa have tested positive for COVID-19 in just two weeks.

That's not even the most shocking part.

From just Tuesday to Thursday the university recorded a massive 481 cases at their Tuscaloosca campus alone. Another 157 cases were reported at the Birmingham campus also.

The University of Alabama President Stuart Bell is furious.

Following the shocking news, Bell admonished the student body for not following restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19.

It's expected to get much worse.

Bell explained:

I am deeply disappointed that those guidelines are not being followed by each and every member of our student body. The rise we've seen in recent days is unacceptable, and if unchecked, threatens our ability to complete the rest of the semester on campus.

Terrifying news.