The University of Kansas is reporting hundreds of COVID-19 cases.

University officials reported Tuesday that 216 students and six faculty and staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 130 of the cases have been reported at fraternities and sororities.

More than 19-thousand people on the KU campus have undergone COVID-19 testing.

The school says it conducted mass testing upon return to campus before the beginning of on-campus activities and classes for two key reasons:

• First, to identify positive cases early and ensure that they are isolating appropriately to prevent community spread. Those who test positive receive instructions to self-isolate, in accordance with guidelines from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with additional instructions from Watkins Health Services. All members of our community must follow these directions closely.
• Second, to establish baseline levels of positivity rates among campus populations to determine appropriate safety, infection prevention, education, and testing efforts moving forward. This baseline testing will inform more targeted testing efforts in the future.

School health officials stress that ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 remain clear including wearing a mask, staying six feet apart from others, and washing your hands frequently. They say everyone needs to do their part.