An out-of-area Cal Poly student has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a campus-wide email from President Jeffrey Armstrong.
The student lived off-campus and moved away from San Luis Obispo to their permanent home residence on March 17. They were tested for COVID-19 in their hometown and were notified of their positive test result Tuesday, March 24. They are now recovering outside of the county, County Health Officer Penny Borenstein said.
The student was on campus “for a brief time” while they had symptoms of coronavirus, Borenstein said. They were on campus when symptom onset began during the last week of winter quarter before spring break.
County Public Health is conducting a contact investigation and is working to notify students who may have been in close contact with the patient, according to the email.
Close contacts of the student have been issued quarantine orders by the County Health Department, according to Borenstein.
The student did not have a history of travel and their source of the virus is unknown, Borenstein said.
Armstrong asked that students who left San Luis Obispo do not return at this time. Campus Housing and Dining will remain open for students who need it, according to the email. All Spring quarter classes will be online.
Though outdoor activities like walking, hiking and biking are permitted with social distancing, Armstrong asked that students not “travel into the community unless it is absolutely essential” to protect vulnerable populations.
This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 Cal Poly has been notified about, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier.
The student is one of the 42 confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in San Luis Obispo County.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.