KENT, Ohio — 25 residents of a residence hall at Kent State University have been notified that they must quarantine until October 7 because of possible exposure to COVID-19.
According to a statement from the university, the Kent City Health Department informed 25 residents of Clark Hall about the possible exposure. The 25 students will remain in a separate section of the residence hall. Meals will be provided along with other university resources through the quarantine period.
Anyone testing positive has been moved to isolation.
The university says it will work with the students and their instructors to ensure a seamless transition to remote learning for any face-to-face courses.
Kent State says anyone who believes they are a close contact or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should contact the COVID Response Team at 330-672-2525. A close contact is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
In an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus, Kent State administrators haved asked students to avoid parties and gatherings, plus limit interactions with others outside of class and physical activities for two weeks.
The University is also encouraging students to report behavior not in accordance with stopping the spread of the virus. Students who fail to follow the safety principals in place or fail to quarantine after testing positive will face "strong disciplinary action," according to the University.