The University reported 44 new cases of COVID-19 this week, including a cluster of nine cases among undergraduate students living off campus. Those students are now isolating off campus, according to the weekly UChicago Forward email update. The total number of students isolating off-campus is 27. Six on-campus students are currently isolating. 

This week’s reported cases have 55 close contacts.

10 of this week’s cases were identified through the surveillance testing program for a 0.17 percent positivity rate. The program has identified a total of 169 cases since September for an overall positivity rate of 0.23 percent. Two weeks ago, the positivity rate was 0.22 percent.

This week also saw the beginning of phase 1b for Chicago’s vaccination program. The University reported that it vaccinated more than 400 eligible people on January 31 and expects to vaccinate 450 more on February 7, the only other day available to sign up for a vaccination in phase 1b. 

Chicago’s seven-day rolling positivity rate was 5.2 percent Friday. Chicago has vaccinated about 234,000 people so far, or about 1 in 17 city residents. 

Illinois vaccinated just under 75,000 people yesterday, a new record. The state’s 7-day rolling vaccination rate is hovering around 50,000.