The University of Washington will hold classes remotely until the end of March in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the Seattle area , including one presumptive positive case involving a staff member, school officials announced Friday.

According to an email sent to all UW students, faculty and staff Friday morning, classes will no longer meet in person and faculty and staff will conduct classes and exams remotely, as possible and online when feasible starting Monday until March 20, the end of the winter quarter. In-person classes are expected to resume on March 30.

School facilities will remain open. The school also recommended social distancing for student groups and events.

In-person classes qualify as events, and the sizes of our classrooms do not generally allow for social distancing, school officials said in the email to explain the shift to remote classes.