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Concerns About COVID-19 Spreading On College Campuses Growing As Thousands Of Students Test Positive

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- COVID-19 spreading on college campuses is a growing concern as thousands of students test positive across the country.

Campus life in the age of coronavirus comes with concerns for Celine Belekdanian, Chloe Wong and Joy Yoon, who are roommates at Rutgers University.

"It's definitely nerve-wracking to see people still being out, not wearing masks as much as they should be," Belekdanian told CBS2's Jessica Layton.

The college juniors from New Jersey are being as careful as possible, each wearing their masks and passing around hand sanitizer after taking a ride on scooters.

They're worried some classmates aren't being as cautious.

"There's been some parties and stuff, and people going out, and it's just a little disappointing," Wong said.

"We don't want to feel like our education is being gypped just because other students are being unsafe," Yoon said.

RELATED STORY: Nearly 300 Students In UConn Dormitory Under Quarantine

A new survey finds there have been at least 51,000 cases of COVID at colleges and universities around the country since the pandemic began.

About 200 students at Syracuse University have been quarantined after the virus was detected in water leaving one of the dorms. Those students will now all be tested.

Thursday, SUNY Oneonta in upstate New York became the first campus in the state to close due to a high number of infections. There have been nearly 400 cases since Aug. 24.

"I kinda thought it was gonna happen, but I didn't think it was gonna happen this soon," one student said.

MORE: SUNY Oneonta Sends Students Home For Rest Of Fall Semester After Cases Jump To 389

Students are being sent home for the rest of the semester, but the nation's leading health experts advise against leaving school and going home to families.

"Please do not go home if you've been at college and been congregating together with others without masks on. More than likely, you could have been exposed and you'll be carrying that virus," said Dr. Deborah Birx, head of the White House coronavirus task force.

Birx says wherever possible, students should be getting tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis, especially if they do plan to see family.

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