PHOENIX – On Wednesday afternoon, Grand Canyon University officials learned that a student residing on campus has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case for an individual connected to the GCU campus.
Unlike their counterparts at Arizona State University (ASU), GCU officials announced the case in a timely manner, and outlined the nature of the situation in a message to students remaining on campus:
The student came to the GCU Health and Wellness Clinic on Tuesday with symptoms, was identified within 24 hours as testing positive and was immediately placed into isolation in a vacant GCU residence hall. The student is receiving ongoing care while in isolation.
GCU immediately conducted contact tracing for the student, who resided in Papago Hall and had minimal movement on campus aside from his personal residence room. Every individual who has been in close contact with the student has been contacted by GCU. One of those is a student who resides off campus and has been instructed to self-quarantine.
The other two are students who reside on campus and have been placed in quarantine for further evaluation and testing, per University and CDC health protocols.
We are not concerned with exposure to anyone else at this time and have performed sanitation and sterilization of common areas within Papago.
As you are aware, privacy is a critical aspect of health care and we ask the GCU community to respect and protect the rights of these members as required by law.
This news is, of course, difficult to hear, but is not unexpected given the rise of cases in this pandemic. We are working closely with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health on all protocols and procedures to ensure the health and safety of the affected individual as well as the GCU community at large.
ASU was not forthcoming about the fact that 15 students have tested positive for COVID-19.
Related article: Attorney General Concerned After ASU Reveals 15 Students Tested Positive For COVID-19