Positive coronavirus tests remain low among UK students

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The number of students testing positive in the University of Kentucky’s mass testing program remains low.

According to the latest numbers released Saturday, 31 students — eight more than Friday’s report — have tested positive out of 4,950 tested.

That’s a .6 percent positivity rate.

The daily test results are released by the university as it works to control the spread of the virus and establishes a baseline of student and staff infections.

The results released Saturday covered the first three days of testing.

Between Aug. 3 and Aug. 22, testing for all students — undergraduate, graduate and professional — will be available at no cost to students at five sites on campus and offered through a third-party expert — Lexington-based testing and genomics company, Wild Health — that has been retained by the university.

Friday, the university expanded the free testing t staff who will be working on campus this fall.

The idea is to create a baseline for university officials as plans are implemented for ongoing daily screening, contact tracing and other health measures. Using a third party for testing also will enable UK HealthCare to maintain its capacity for testing health workers, first responders and the community.