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First USF St. Petersburg Student Diagnosed With COVID-19

USF St. Petersburg
Nicole Slaughter Graham
/
WUSF Public Media
USF St. Petersburg

The first University of South Florida student to be found with COVID-19 was diagnosed over the weekend. The student attends USF St. Petersburg, according to University President Steve Currall.

Currall said in a statement the student is being monitored by the Florida Department of Health’s Pinellas County division and is in self-isolation. The student has not been on the campus since late February.

On Wednesday, Currall said a member of the university's Counseling Center on the Tampa campus tested positive for coronavirus. The counselor is currently self-isolating at home. Currall said the individual came in direct contact with 13 students and several employees while on campus March 9 and March 12. Those who came in contact are being monitored by the Florida Department of Health.

USF's Spring Break officially ends Sunday, and all state university students will transition Monday to online course instruction to lessen the risk of coronavirus. Students are advised to not return to campus for the remainder of the Spring semester.

Commencement has been postponed to a date yet to be determined.

USF faculty and staff are asked to continue working remotely until further notice.  

 

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Steve Newborn is WUSF's assistant news director as well as a reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.