Four students at the University of St Andrews have contracted coronavirus after a freshers’ week party in a hall of residence.
More than 40 people are now self-isolating following the party, which broke national coronavirus restrictions limiting gatherings to no more than six people from two households.
On Friday, St Andrews asked all its students to enter a voluntary weekend lockdown by staying in their rooms and not partying or going to bars.
It comes as students at the University of Edinburgh said they are being forced to eat alone due to strict coronavirus measures.
First-year students living in the university’s catered accommodation claim they are being watched by staff as they eat alone at single desks.
Students at the University of Edinburgh were left unable to access their lessons this morning after their new online learning system crashed just hours into the first day of term.
The new cases bring the total at St Andrew’s University to seven, after three were announced last week.
More than 40 people are now self-isolating following the party during freshers’ week at the University of St Andrews
In a message to students, University of St Andrews principal Professor Sally Mapstone said: ‘I am sorry to say that last night, four new positive cases were confirmed amongst our students.
‘This is in addition to the three sporadic cases which I had notified to you all previously.
‘All have comparatively mild illness and are being appropriately supported.’
She added: ‘These new cases of Covid were acquired in St Andrews and are all linked to one party in a hall of residence in freshers’ week.
‘Over 40 students are now in enforced isolation as a result.
‘Quite apart from the fact that the party broke the law, and our own very clear guidelines on socialising and safe behaviour, the ripples from this single incident have consequences for all of us.
‘Please do not arrange or attend parties unless they are only attended by your immediate household group’.
Despite the new cases, the university will restart some activities cancelled over the weekend, including ‘most sport, training activities and the gym’.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, whose North East Fife constituency includes St Andrews, said: ‘This should act as a chilling reminder of the need to follow the advice of the scientists and the health professionals.
‘If we give this deadly disease the opportunity to spread it will do so like wildfire.
‘I appreciate that we are asking young people to sacrifice some of the best bits of university social life but the alternative is so much worse for everyone.’
In the University of Edinburgh’s catered accommodation, the on-site bar is closed and students must bring their own cutlery with them. Hot food is served by staff and cold food is individually packaged.
There is a one-way system in place where students are guided by staff, and then sat alone at a desk typically used for examinations to eat.
Liberty Phelan, a second-year student who lived in the Pollock Halls last year, said: ‘Before the term began the university announced the changes and how things would be different.
‘Students were told that they would have to sit at tables by themselves but were offered a takeaway option.
‘Now they have taken the takeaway option away and I’ve been told that everyone is forced to eat alone and not allowed to get up from their allocated table for more food or water.
‘There are huge queues to get into the dining hall and staff lead students to tables so you don’t even choose who you sit next to.
‘In the accommodation you’re only allowed one other person in your room, but some people have had parties and the police have been called.
University of St Andrews principal Professor Sally Mapstone confirmed there had been four new cases in a message to students
‘I think it is especially hard for freshers and the restrictions make the anxiety of being a first year so much harder for them.’
Students living in university accommodation claim to have been sent an email which states that a number of illegal gatherings had been reported at Pollock Halls.
It added that students who break the rules can be suspended from the university.
A university spokesperson said: ‘We are working hard to ensure all of our new and returning students are aware of the importance of following Scottish Government guidelines – both on and off campus – to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
‘As well as our Student Code of Conduct, we have created a Good Citizen Guide, which sets out clear guidelines for our community during this time.
‘Our on-site Residence Life team are regularly promoting Covid-19 safety messages and challenging any inappropriate behaviour.
‘While the vast majority of our students are observing the rules, if a student is found to be intentionally or repeatedly failing to comply with safety measures, they will face appropriate action.’
Students at the University of Edinburgh were unable to access their lessons this morning after the virtual learning platform malfunctioned.
First-year students living in the University of Edinburgh’s catered accommodation claim they are being watched by staff as they eat alone at single desks. Pictured: Pollock Halls accommodation
The university charges non-Scottish UK students £9,000 a year to study, with many international students paying up to £32,100 a year.
Disgruntled users of the University’s LEARN service took to Twitter today to slam the institution, who since have let students know they are aware of the situation and looking into the issue as a ‘matter of urgency’.
The platform is provided by a company called Blackboard, which specialises in online education technology and service for millions of consumers.
One tweet said: ‘Nice start of the semester @EdinburghUni – I am still trying to log in to LEARN. I keep receiving this ‘503 Temporarily Unavailable’ message.
‘The system may have crashed, and I may have lost my first live-online-session lecture as a Ph.D. student.’
Another Twitter user wrote: ‘@EdinburghUni students are paying up to £32,100 per year for an education, which is now delivered exclusively via Blackboard, a platform which has crashed on the first morning of the Autumn term.’
The University of Edinburgh responded to the tweets saying: ‘We are aware that there is a problem with the Learn Virtual Learning Environment and we are looking into this as a matter of urgency with our supplier.
‘Thank you for your patience.’
Manchester Metropolitan University confirmed a ‘handful’ of cases just days after around 100 students attended a party, Manchester Evening News reported.
Several students are self-isolating after a handful of cases were confirmed in a block of flats at the Birley campus in Hulme.
Meanwhile, eleven new cases have been linked to an outbreak at student accommodation at Edinburgh Napier University, BBC reported.