Michigan Tech in UP stops in-person classes for 2 weeks

Houghton — Michigan Technological University in the Upper Peninsula called a two-week timeout for in-person classes as a result of a rise in coronavirus cases in the region.

Lecture-based classes will be online, no later than Wednesday, and will last at least through Oct. 11, President Rick Koubek said.

“This transition is a targeted effort to mitigate further spread among our community at large by temporarily reducing the density of people on campus,” Koubek said.

Michigan Tech, which has more than 7,000 students, is in Houghton County. Classroom instruction at K-12 schools in the county has also been suspended for two weeks.

The county had a total of 337 virus cases as of last Thursday, with most occurring in the last month, a regional health department said.

Michigan Tech said transmission appeared to be slowing among students and staff. It said last Friday that the number of cases detected in the previous 14 days had dropped to 63 from 92.

"We ask students to remain vigilant in practicing personal safety measures, completing the daily symptom monitoring form and avoiding group gatherings in the larger community — particularly indoors — over the next two weeks," Koubek said.