Students at UC Davis, community colleges affected by coronovirus outbreak
DAVIS, Calif. - A student at UC Davis who lives in a campus dorm is being tested for coronavirus, and two roommates are in isolation, the university chancellor said Thursday.
The three students all were staying at Kearney Hall, a campus dormitory. The student who is being tested is at home, showing mild symptoms of the virus, said university spokeswoman Melissa Lutz Blouin. All three are in isolation. The first student is not on campus any more and the other two have no symptoms, the university said.
Blouin added that the student had “a runny nose and a bit of a cough,” and noted that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigates anyone with such symptoms who has been exposed to someone with the virus.
As a precaution, the school’s housing and dining facilities are using “daily disinfection practices,” Chancellor Gary May and universtiy Health Vice Chancellor David Lubarsky said in their announcement.
"Being so close to it does feel nerve racking, Nadya Varick said. She lives in Kearney Hall.
Dayton Harvey, who also lives in the dorm, said "One of my friends was like, 'Did you hear they just quarantined three guys from our building?' And I'm like, 'No way.' Then I got an email this morning confirming that."
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Officials said there is no connection with the UC Davis students and the woman in Solano County who is the first case of an individual in the U.S. for whom officials do not know the source of illness.
In addition, two community college students in Sacramento who were recently exposed to the coronavirus are in self-quarantine, school officials said.
One student at American River College and another from Cosumnes River College, who both work as medical professionals, were exposed off-campus to someone who has since tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated in Sacramento County, authorities said.
The two students were exposed to the virus last week while performing professional duties. They both returned to their respective campuses after being exposed.
Sacramento County Public Health experts have directed both colleges to take no immediate action and proceed with regular class and work schedules at this time.
Out of an abundance of caution, the two students were instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days. They will be self-monitored and will notify health officials if any symptoms arise.
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Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@foxtv.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez
This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.