More than 20 Holy Cross students have tested positive for COVID-19 following party

WORCESTER — More than 20 College of the Holy Cross students have tested positive for the virus after a party.

A spokesperson for the college said students who hold parties will be held accountable, The Republican reported. The party was held off campus in mid-August.

Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus said some of the students who tested positive attended the party, while others were not in attendance but were in close contact with partygoers.

In a letter sent to students shortly after the party happened, school officials said they were "terribly disappointed" that the number of people at the party exceeded the state's limit on the number of people allowed at a gathering, and by the fact the attendees were not wearing masks nor adhering to physical distancing guidelines.

"We each have a responsibility — to our loved ones, our communities and to ourselves — to do our part to stop the spread of this virus," the letter reads. "Hosting and attending a gathering of this size, in close quarters, with no masks, is highly irresponsible and violates our most important Holy Cross values of commitment and service to others."

Holy Cross is among dozens of New England colleges welcoming students back to school this month and next. The school is hosting a remote fall semester, but some students are living on campus.

In Rhode Island, 17 Providence College students have been suspended for violating the school's code of conduct about the pandemic.

Rev. Kenneth Sicard, the college's president, described the students' actions as “selfish behavior.” He added that more sanctions could be imposed by the college.

“We have emphasized strongly that actions that endanger themselves and others during this pandemic will not be tolerated at Providence College,” Sicard wrote.

WCVB contributed to this report.