Penn State reported 285 new COVID-19 cases among University Park students and employees this week, according to the university’s COVID-19 Dashboard.

Between Friday, March 26, and 3 p.m. on Friday, April 2, the university administered 8,620 tests to students and employees — about 1,600 more than last week.

The increase in tests could be attributed to the university’s request for East Halls’ 4,000-plus residents to get tested last weekend, but this week’s figures aren’t drastically different on that front.

Penn State advised students living in East to get tested after previously suggesting it to seven individual dorms in the area. The university said it sends out advisories once individual populations’ positivity rates to 2%.

Over the past week, Penn State’s total positivity rate for the semester (or since December 19) increased from 2.7% to 2.8%. About 3% of COVID-19 tests administered this week returned positive results.

One hundred and fifty-six students are currently isolating at Penn State’s Eastview Terrace complex, while 69 are quarantined there. The university is using up 56% of its 400-room capacity. Last Friday, 58% of rooms were in use.

Penn State has administered 74,624 COVID-19 tests to students and employees this semester, resulting in 2,057 total positives.

Penn State’s COVID-19 Dashboard also incorporates figures from student-athlete testing and any tests taken by those who remained on campus over winter break.

Penn State plans on updating the newly unveiled dashboard three times a week throughout the semester on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The university said testing data is added to the dashboard once results are received.

Walk-up testing at Hintz Family Alumni Center and Pegula Ice Arena won’t be available Saturday, presumably due to the Easter holiday. Students with pressing COVID-19-related concerns will still be able to get help through University Health Services.

Regularly scheduled walk-up COVID-19 testing is available for students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hintz and Pegula Monday through Saturday.

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Editor’s Note: This semester, Onward State is publishing weekly COVID-19 Dashboard summaries. Feel free to check out our site on Friday afternoons for updates on Penn State’s COVID-19 testing figures, quarantine and isolation space capacity, and more.