Dear Campus Community,
The University has learned that a student, who returned home from campus earlier this week, has tested positive with COVID-19 and is now receiving appropriate medical care in their home state.
The individual was living off campus in private housing prior to departing for their home state on Monday, March 16. The individual was tested on Wednesday, March 18, and learned of their results late Thursday night, March 19.
Colgate Director of Student Health Services Dr. Merrill Miller has notified the Madison County Department of Health of this development. To the extent possible, we will work with public health officials to identify known individuals who were in contact with the person who tested positive. Those individuals are being notified, with the assistance of Colgate, of CDC guidance related to the next steps they should take.
It is also the University’s responsibility to safeguard the privacy of our students, and in accordance with federal law related to health information, the individual cannot be identified.
Because this is the first known confirmed case within our Colgate community, we wanted to quickly inform our students, faculty, and staff. Any public health updates will be shared at colgate.edu/covid19.
This news, as we have seen repeated on many college campuses across the country this week, is not unexpected, given what we now know about the rapid nature of COVID-19 transmission. It is also a moment that Colgate has been preparing for since January, when the University’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) first started preparations for safeguarding our community through an extensive public health awareness campaign, frequent communications, intensified cleaning procedures, additional hand sanitizing stations, and planning for the possibility of self-isolation or quarantine spaces on campus.
As a reminder, symptoms of COVID-19 infection include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. COVID-19 is spread mainly person-to-person through respiratory droplets, or by touching an object with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. COVID-19 is treated through rest, fluids and nutrition, and medicine to reduce fever and discomfort.
Individuals who think they have been exposed to COVID-19 should NOT walk into a healthcare facility; it is important to call first so the staff can prepare.
- Students who are living on campus should call the Student Health Center at 315-228-7750 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to set up an appointment.
- Students living off campus or at their primary residence, who have concerns that they have been exposed to COVID-19 while in Hamilton, should contact their healthcare provider and then inform the University by emailing covid19@colgate.edu.
- Faculty and staff members concerned about exposure should contact the NYS Department of Health Toll-free hotline at 888-364-3065.
The University is working in close consultation with the Madison County Department of Public Health and local healthcare agencies, and additional information will be shared at colgate.edu/covid19 as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Dan Gough
Associate Vice President for Campus Safety and Environmental Health and Safety