West Virginia University said Monday all residents and employees working in the Evansdale Residential Complex will be tested for COVID-19.
The testing announcement follows news late Sunday from WVU that it was told by the Monongalia County Health Department a person living in one of its student housing buildings — Towers — tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
In a release, WVU said the person who tested positive is in isolation. Residents of Towers must self-quarantine until they are tested for the virus and the results are known, the university said.
“The Evansdale Café, as well as the community restrooms and gathering areas in the Evansdale Residential Complex have gone through or are undergoing a deep cleaning beginning this afternoon,” the university said in a release. “In addition, a care package with a mask, gloves and cleaning supplies will be delivered to each resident’s room later [Monday] evening.”
WVU campuses have been closed since March 20 and the classes are now being held online. The university also moved its May commencement to a virtual event. About 49 students — a mix of domestic and international students — are on campus and are housed in three dormitories.
Last week, county health officials said 14 students who live off campus tested positive for COVID-19. There is no indication those students were on campus.
“The 14 previous cases are not all related either, except they traveled for spring break — but not together nor to the same place,” John Bolt, a WVU spokesman, said in an email.
No faculty has tested positive and Sunday’s case is unrelated to the previous ones, he said.
In addition to the 15 confirmed novel coronavirus cases at WVU in Morgantown, there is at least one confirmed case at Potomac State in Keyser, Bolt said.
There are 81 confirmed cases in Mon County, with 633 statewide.
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