SALT LAKE CITY — Westminster College officials on Saturday disputed reports of two positive COVID-19 cases among students living in campus housing at the private, liberal arts college.
Westminster spokeswoman Arikka Von said the college had two positive cases late this week and one earlier in the month. Westminster students moved into housing by Aug. 16.
“Not all are residential students,” she said. No further information will be released at this time, she said.
Von said the three people who tested positive had no symptoms.
“On-campus rapid testing isolated these cases quickly and potentially exposed contacts then quarantined. The college wants to emphasize the critical importance of physical distancing and wearing a face covering on campus. Not either or, do both,” Von wrote in an email.
The college has designated housing spaces for residential students who test positive and must isolate. Residential students in isolation are provided meals and necessities, she said.
On Friday, the Salt Lake County Health Department released information that there had been three positive tests among residents of University of Utah housing and two at Westminster.
University of Utah students were required to undergo COVID-19 testing before they received their room keys for student housing.
University spokesman Chris Nelson said thus far, testing had revealed “a handful” of positive cases but he would not specify how many. Some 3,600 students are living on campus this year, he said. Once all tests are processed, additional information will be released, he said.
The U. has had a 24-hour turnaround on tests conducted as part of the resident students’ move-in process. One student who moved into a residence hall Thursday said the testing included nasal and throat swabs.
The university has set aside 400 rooms in its respective residence communities for isolation as needed, Nelson said.
Students in isolation rooms need to remain there for at least 10 days after symptoms appear.
Von said Westminster College required residential students to undergo COVID-19 testing prior to moving into its residence halls. Only those with negative tests results were permitted to move into housing. The college’s student health services provided rapid COVID-19 testing for residential students unable to acquire a test on their own.