GMU Student At Arlington Campus Tests Positive For Coronavirus

ARLINGTON, VA — George Mason University learned Thursday night that one of its students who attended classes in Arlington tested positive for the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

"An investigation is being conducted by the local health department to determine if anyone else within our community should take additional precautions such as self-isolation or quarantine," said David Farris, executive director of Safety & Emergency Management and Dr. Lisa Park, executive director Student Health Services in a letter to the GMU community. "The student does not reside on campus, and to our knowledge, the last time that this student was on the Arlington campus was on March 4."

In response to the coronavirus, GMU has already canceled events, moved classes online, and is promoting telework wherever possible.

"Given these precautions and what we know about the situation, the risk of exposure to other students, faculty, and staff who visited the Arlington campus remains low," Farris and Park said. "We encourage anyone that has concerns about potential exposure to await official guidance from the health department or university before taking additional precautions." The health department will contact anyone who was at risk for exposure.

GMU is following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health guidelines for handling the coronavirus. Anyone with questions or concerns can contact the university by email or visit the GMU website.

Related: Arlington Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know