UC Davis students under self-quarantine linked to coronavirus

Three students at the University of California, Davis are under 14-day isolation as one awaits test results related to the new strain of coronavirus after showing mild symptoms, officials said Thursday.

The students are roommates at Kearney Hall, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May confirmed in a statement Thursday.

One student has been offcampus since Tuesday and has been tested for the COVID-19 disease. The other two individuals have not shown any symptoms but have been isolated since Wednesday night out of an abundance of caution. In keeping with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, those asymptomatic individuals have not been tested for the virus.

Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman said officials know the origin of the individual’s exposure to the virus but could not disclose that information because of patient privacy.

Officials said no individual in Yolo County or at UC Davis has yet tested positive for the virus.

County health officials said more than 70 people might be quarantined at home based on having contact with the UC Davis patient. University spokesman Steve Telliano disputed that number but refused to say whether more or fewer people were quarantined.

Additionally, two students at two Los Rios Community College District campuses are in isolation after being exposed last week to an individual in Northern California who has tested positive for the coronavirus.

“Both American River College and Cosumnes River College have learned that a student at each college, both who work as medical professionals, were exposed off campus to an individual who has since tested positive for coronavirus and is being treated in Sacramento County,” officials said in a statement Thursday.

The students returned to campus after the exposure, but officials at Sacramento County Public Health do not believe members of the campus are at risk. The individuals have been instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days.

At a news conference earlier Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said 33 individuals have tested positive for the coronavirus in California. The majority of those were quarantined travelers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked off Japan.