Photo by Deb Gau A sign pointing the way to a COVID vaccination clinic held last week at the Southwest Minnesota State University campus was partly covered in snow after the Jan. 14 winter storm. Minnesota state colleges and universities, including SMSU, have seen a spike in positive COVID cases.

MARSHALL — State colleges and universities across Minnesota are seeing an increased number of COVID cases as they start the spring semester.

Southwest Minnesota State University isn’t an exception. Last week, the Minnesota State system’s COVID-19 dashboard reported that more than 40 students and staff members had tested positive.

However, reported case numbers at SMSU are lower this week, said Bill Mulso, vice president for communications at SMSU. Mulso said SMSU is still following COVID prevention policies like requiring masks to be worn on campus.

Over the past two weeks, the Minnesota State system has seen its highest COVID case numbers since the start of the pandemic. Data published Friday reported a total of 1,072 positive COVID cases across the system’s 37 colleges and universities. That total included 845 positive cases among students and 227 cases among employees.

At SMSU, the week of Jan. 5-12, saw the university’s highest-ever number of positive COVID cases reported among students. A total of 43 SMSU students and three employees tested positive, the Minnesota State dashboard said.

Before then, the highest weekly number of COVID cases reported at SMSU was back in September 2020, when 17 positive cases were reported in students.

While COVID cases have been on the rise across Minnesota this month, Mulso said the spike in case numbers at SMSU was also connected to a large number of COVID tests done on Mustang athletes at the end of winter break.

“We made a decision to test all of our student athletes when they returned to campus,” Mulso said.

That likely contributed to more positives being found at once, he said.

For the week of Jan. 12-19, the number of positive COVID cases at SMSU went down to 10 student cases and four employee cases.

In spite of the spike in positive COVID cases among students, Mulso said SMSU has not had problems finding space for students to isolate.

He said so far a few students are using campus housing set aside for isolation. However, many SMSU students live off-campus.

Classes at SMSU are mostly being held in-person this year, but masking rules are still in place, Mulso said. Students are required to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

The masks must be well-fitted, covering both the mouth and nose.

The Minnesota State system does not require COVID vaccines for all students. Student athletes or students living in a residence hall are required to provide proof of vaccination or participate in weekly COVID testing.

Minnesota State employees are also required to provide proof of vaccination or be tested weekly.

Mulso said SMSU has provided several opportunities for students to get the COVID vaccine. The university held its most recent vaccination clinic on Jan. 13, when students came back to campus, he said. Another clinic is planned for early February.