14 W.Va. University students test positive for COVID-19

More than a dozen students from West Virginia University tested positive for COVID-19, the university announced Wednesday.

A total of 14 students tested positive, according to university spokeswoman April Kaull. The university said investigations and contact tracing are still ongoing, but they believe the students “returned to private, off-campus housing upon returning to Morgantown.”

The university did not say where the students returned from or when.

“There is no indication that the students have been on campus,” a release from the university said. WVU campuses have been closed and buildings have shut down since March 20, with some exceptions.

The university, which has over 26,000 students at the Morgantown campus, is located in Monongolia County, where 74 people have so far tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“We cannot reiterate enough that students need to be taking this virus seriously and follow all of executive orders issued by Gov. Jim Justice as well as health precaution guidelines outlined by our local health officials,” Corey Farris, WVU’s dean of students, said. “To not do so is putting not only your fellow students’ health at risk, but the health and well-being of our entire Morgantown community.”

Mr. Justice’s orders include limiting groups to a maximum of five people, and telling people only to leave home for essential needs and to continue hygienic measures like hand-washing.

WVU is working alongside the Monongolia County Health Department to retrace the students’ movements and reach out to people with whom they have recently been in contact.

Statewide, West Virginia reported 483 positive cases of COVID-19 to date, and there have been four deaths.