24 with ties to Stanford infected with COVID-19

STANFORD UNIVERSITY >> Two dozen individuals with ties to Stanford University have tested positive for COVID-19, a university official confirmed Tuesday.

Included in that figure is one student who remains in self-isolation at the campus, said Russell Furr, associate vice provost of environmental health and safety, in an update posted to the university’s website. The others reside in a “variety of communities in the Bay Area and beyond” and have been told to self-isolate and seek medical care if necessary.

“This figure includes both individuals tested at Stanford as well those who have been tested elsewhere and have self-reported their results to the university. It includes students who have left the Stanford area and returned to their homes. It also includes

School of Medicine employees, including those working in clinical settings,” Furr wrote.

“However,” he continued, “this count should not be considered comprehensive, given that it is partly based on self-reporting to the university and given the quickly changing nature of the COVID-19 spread.”

Furr also called on community members to report if they are awaiting or have received a test result for the virus.

“This is both to connect you to resources that can support you, and to help the university assess the impacts of the virus in our community,” he wrote in the update.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 459 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County. But with limited testing capacity, the number likely represents a small fraction of the total number of people with the virus, according to public health officials.

“The best advice right now is to continue to practice social distancing, and to not assume that you can only be infected by someone who is symptomatic or who has received a positive test result,” Furr wrote.

“You should assume there is widespread community transmission and take the necessary steps to help reduce it.”