Public Health Madison and Dane County and UW-Madison on Friday directed 420 members of nine campus fraternities and sororities who live in off-campus chapter houses to quarantine for 14 days because of positive COVID-19 cases among their members.

Public health officials reported that as of Wednesday, Sept. 2, 38 of the students in the houses had tested positive for COVID-19. The 420 students are among 1,500 students living in UW-Madison fraternity and sorority chapter houses.

“Our goal is to stop any further spread of the virus among our students and the broader community,” said Jake Baggott, executive director of University Heath Services, in a news release.

Fraternity and sorority members who tested positive were directed to isolate in designated living spaces. The 420 members directed to quarantine will be required to be tested at a university testing site on Tuesday, September 8. While no date is specified, all live-in members of the other 38 chapters will also be required to be tested by the university.

Violation of the isolation and quarantine orders could result in court-ordered involuntary quarantine and a fine of up to $10,000, according to PHMDC.