ASU: COVID-19 cases decreasing because it reports active cases, plans to change reporting method

TEMPE, Ariz. - In a rare news conference from the President of Arizona State University on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the school took some heat over how it’s reporting COVID-19 data.

The conference was all about the numbers as ASU reported around 800 cases of COVID-19, which confused some because the previous week's report showed about 1,000 positive cases among its staff and students, across all campuses.

How is the number of positive cases dropping? ASU explained that it wasn’t reporting cumulative cases, but rather active cases.

ASU President Michael Crow addressed the decision, saying, "One of the things some of you noticed in the last data we put out is that the number of positives went down."

He acknowledged that how ASU is reporting is different than most, but says they'll start reporting both active and cumulative cases of COVID-19 at the university.

The ASU Community of Care Coalition is critical of ASU's virus reporting, saying the university is not being transparent.

"To me, the only reason to make that decision is if you're trying to control the narrative," says David Boyles, ASU English Professor and member of the coalition.

About 74,000 students are enrolled at ASU this semester, with most attending online. ASU says of positive cases this year, most were mild or asymptomatic.

"We had began tracking cases last January. 5 students have been hospitalized. We have kept in touch with them until they were discharged. That has not occurred for us since late spring," explained Dr. Joanna Vogel, ASU Vice President of Student Services.

The university is also using extra on-campus housing to disburse students who need to be physically distant from others.