The University reported 13 new student and five new employee COVID-19 cases for the week of Oct. 4, according to the COVID-19 dashboard.

This week’s case count is an increase from the eight student cases and seven employee cases reported in last week’s dashboard update. It also marks an increase in the University’s seven-day positivity rate, which rose from 0.06% last week to 0.1% this week. Even so, the University’s 7-day positivity rate remains lower than Santa Clara County’s or California’s, which stand at 1.0% and 2.2%, respectively.

Over the past 58 weeks, Stanford has completed more than 403,000 student and 229,000 faculty, staff and post-doctoral scholar tests through the University’s surveillance testing program. In total, 345 students and 267 faculty, staff and postdocs have tested positive.

“We continue to be encouraged by the low rate of positive cases,” wrote University spokesperson EJ Miranda. “We urge members of our campus community to continue to follow the safety protocols that help curb the spread of COVID.”

The University will continue to monitor CDC, state and county guidance and update health and safety protocols on campus as conditions evolve, according to Miranda.

Stanford has already adopted new protocols as a result of changing conditions, including reauthorizing indoor parties on campus on Oct. 8. This change coincided with a decrease in cases in Santa Clara County, which has also prompted Bay Area health officials to release new criteria for lifting mask requirements in indoor public spaces.

Despite some changes in protocol, the University still requires weekly COVID-19 testing and indoor masking, regardless of vaccination status. The University continues to see little to no spread in University workplaces, according to the dashboard, and reinforced that “vaccines and masking provide strong protection against illness.”