Coronavirus: Oxford Brookes confirms 30 cases

Large gatherings of students have taken place outside the university's halls of residence

Thirty students have contracted coronavirus over the last week after parties were held outside halls of residence, a university has said.

Oxford Brookes University said "the majority" of those cases had been "traced back to social gatherings".

It said it had issued about 150 fixed penalties to students "for breaches within halls of residences" since 12 September.

Teaching at the university resumed on Monday.

In a statement sent to councillors and seen by the BBC, Oxford Brookes' registrar and chief operating officer Brendan Casey said the university had "accelerated the process for student conduct hearings for those students who have been repeat offenders".

Oxford Brookes University has about 17,000 students and Oxford University about 24,000

Last week, its vice-chancellor Prof Alistair Fitt warned students could be suspended or expelled if the gatherings were repeated.

At the time, it confirmed it was dealing with a "small but growing number of confirmed cases" of coronavirus.

Oxford Brookes University has about 17,000 students.

Oxford University, which has about 24,000 students, is set to resume teaching on 11 October.