Merrimack Dorm On Lockdown After 17 Positive Coronavirus Cases

ANDOVER, MA — A Merrimack College dorm is under quarantine after 17 residents tested positive for the coronavirus, almost all in the last week, the college said Tuesday evening.

Sixteen of the Monican Hall cases were identified Tuesday, following a single positive case found the previous week.

The dormitory's 266 residents are in isolation or quarantine, mostly off campus, the college said. Those remaining on campus are quarantining or isolating in campus-designated spaces, while the dorm is being cleaned and disinfected.

From Sept. 15 to Sept. 21, the college found 20 positive cases from 4,540 tests. The three additional positives were a staff member and two commuting students. No student living in any other dorm has tested positive since Sept. 11.

The college tested more than 150 Monican residents who were going into quarantine and awaiting results and asked that all students living in other dormitories be tested by 5 p.m., Wednesday. Students who live in Monican are currently expected to remain off campus in quarantine for 14 days.

The school is also conducting contact tracing on the positive tests.

More information from the college is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.