Clemson University monitoring possible case of coronavirus on campus

Clemson University said it is actively monitoring a possible case of coronavirus on campus.

The university in South Carolina’s Upstate region said it is working with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to monitor the person who might have COVID-19.

Clemson said the possible coronavirus patient is a “non-student.”

That person is not hospitalized, and is currently in self-quarantine at their off-campus residence, according to Clemson.

The university said it is closely monitoring the situation, and officials are meeting regularly in an attempt to “reduce the risk to faculty, staff, students and visitors from the virus.”

Although there are currently no confirmed coronavirus cases in Clemson, the university said it has issued a warning about travel advisories to students, faculty, and staff on spring break.

“All students, faculty and staff returning from international travel must contact Redfern Health Center (864-656-2457) to begin the screening process prior to return to campus,” the university said in a news release.

Beyond that, there are no changes to “operations at any Clemson campus or location around the state,” and they remain open, according to the release.

Prior to Tuesday, only one of South Carolina’s presumed positive tests has been in the Upstate.

That is in Spartanburg County, where a man recently returned from a trip to Italy and began experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, DHEC said Sunday.

That man, an employee at the Spartanburg County branch of an international company that produces self-adhesive material, is not hospitalized and is currently isolated at home, according to DHEC.

He is one of seven people in South Carolina presumed to have tested positive for coronavirus, DHEC said.

Of the seven presumptive positive cases, two of them have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — one in Camden, and one in Charleston, state officials said. The others have been tested by DHEC and are awaiting confirmation by the CDC.

Both of those who have confirmed cases of coronavirus are “stable,” Bell said.

Five of the seven cases reported in South Carolina are in Kershaw County.

“We now have evidence of community spread that’s likely to be causing these initial cases in Camden in Kershaw County and the risk of spread to other communities is possible, as seen in other states across the country,” state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said. “We are working with the CDC and state and local officials to limit community spread while continuing with our protocol for identifying travel-related cases in the state.”

In addition to the Spartanburg County man, and a Camden man who was confirmed as a presumptive coronavirus patient Monday, there are three other presumptive positive cases and two positive cases of the virus in South Carolina. They include:

• A Camden woman in her 80s, along with two people who had been in close contact with her;
• Another man in Camden who had no contact with the woman;
• A Charleston woman in her 30s who recently traveled to Italy and France and is affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina.
  
  

As of Monday, 116,694 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 4,090 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, 791 people have been diagnosed with the novel virus. Twenty-seven deaths have been reported, including 23 in Washington state, according to Johns Hopkins.

Symptoms of coronavirus vary from mild to severe and include coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.

The best way to prevent infection is to wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC.

It does not matter whether the water is hot or cold, Bell said.

The U.S. Surgeon General has urged members of the public to avoid buying protective masks because they are ineffective at preventing coronavirus, and buying them saps vital resources for health officials who need them.

DHEC is following guidance from the CDC and officials said they do not recommend closing schools or canceling public events at this time.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 1:17 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription