10 Cal State Long Beach students in self-quarantine for possible coronavirus exposure

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Monday, March 9, 2020
10 CSULB students in self-quarantine for possible coronavirus exposure
Ten Cal State University Long Beach students are in self-quarantine due to concerns of possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, the university announced.

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Ten Cal State University Long Beach students are in self-quarantine due to concerns of possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, the university announced Sunday.

CSULB said the students have not shown any symptoms after attending an event last week in Washington D.C., where three attendees tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are in ongoing communication with them and we are closely monitoring their health status," the message from the university said. "The students are currently asymptomatic."

The university added there is no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 to the campus.

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CSULB students who attended the conference were notified after they returned that three people at the event tested positive.

"Public health officials are in consensus that the likelihood is very, very low that the students had any risk of infection from the individuals who did test positive," said Jeff Cook with CSULB.

One of the quarantined students is a resident of campus housing.

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Student Anthea Johnson is circulating a petition that would allow students and faculty members to stay home without suffering academically. She says a lot of people are posting questions online.

The university is placing a greater emphasis on disinfecting buildings. Extra time cleaning will be given to counters, tables, doorknobs and other high-touch surfaces, and the university has placed more portable hand sanitizers throughout the campus.

"We have plans in place to be able to offer classes not in-person, but through alternative methods, so if and when the university should be affected by the illness, we're ready to go," Cook said.

Meanwhile, USC is closing classroom doors for three days, holding all classes online Wednesday through Friday.