Dear SDSU students, faculty and staff,

We learned this evening from the San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) that a San Diego State University study abroad student has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). We are sharing this message with all members of the community to provide awareness and understanding of what it means that a case has been confirmed in our broader community. HHSA has confirmed that the risk to the campus community remains low.

Our student had been studying abroad in Italy and recently returned to this area. The student is self-isolating at his permanent residence outside of San Diego county following the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The student visited two campus offices for a brief period of time, and did not attend any classes. To reinforce: Public health officials with HHSA confirm that the risk to campus remains low, as the student has had very little interaction with any on campus students, faculty and staff. His three housemates have no symptoms, and self-quarantined in accordance with the CDC’s guidelines.

Since learning of the confirmed case, SDSU has done the following:

• We are supporting the student and off-campus housemates, ensuring that they have the resources they need. We wish our student well during recovery.
  
  
• SDSU has also already begun contacting those few on campus believed to have had contact with the student, who will be told to self-quarantine. No other individuals are exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19 at this stage.
  
  
• The university is completing a thorough, hospital-grade cleaning of the two campus offices where the student briefly visited.

We continue to ask students returning from affected areas to self-quarantine for the CDC-designated 14-day period. We also urge every member of our community to continue adhering to basic health and cleaning habits to help prevent contracting and spreading illnesses. Information is available via the Student Health Services Healthy Habits to Prevent the Cold & Flu website. Also, continue to visit the university's COVID-19 page, which has information and updates relevant for all campus community members.

“Due to the student’s limited contact with the campus, we consider that the risk to the greater SDSU campus community is low,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. The public should be assured that we are following CDC guidance and taking aggressive measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.”

We understand this is a difficult time for our community and our nation. New information is being shared each day, including today’s White House declaration of a state of emergency for our nation. Our campus is actively monitoring COVD-19 issues and continuing to follow the guidance of local authorities, and the CDC.

We greatly appreciate our community’s continued care for each other, and your willingness to navigate the many disruptions to protect the health and safety of our campus. We will continue to update the SDSU community as developments occur.

Adela de la Torre
San Diego State University President 

Dr. Rory Brening, M.D., M.P.H.
Interim Medical Director
SDSU Student Health Services