EAST LANSING – At least one student living in Michigan State University’s Holmes Hall has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a university email sent to students.
MSU’s housing office Monday night emailed students living in Holmes Hall — the only residential building open this summer — that individuals have tested positive for COVID-19. The email did not say how many confirmed cases were found in Holmes Hall.
MSU officials declined to say how many students tested positive for the virus.
Pressed for a number of cases, Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail declined to give a number, but referred to cases rather than a single case. "We're not going to share a specific number of cases within Holmes Hall."
Currently, the cases found in Holmes Hall do not constitute an outbreak, Vail said. The health department defines an outbreak as more than two or three cases tied to a common source.
Another factor for an outbreak is how positive cases are related to each other, Vail said.
"You have to connect the cases," Vail said. "There has to be a common source."
MSU officials said in the email the health department is involved. Vail confirmed discussions took place over the weekend.
More: MSU asks students, staff to report COVID-19 safety violators to misconduct hotline
Students who tested positive must relocate to buildings reserved for self-isolation housing, according to MSU spokesperson Dan Olsen, including Akers Hall, Spartan Village and the Kellogg Center. Their Holmes Hall rooms will be cleaned and sanitized.
The university told residents that people who tested positive will self-isolate and a contact tracer with the health department will reach out to individuals they were in close contact with.
MSU defines close contact as being within 6 feet of a person with COVID for more than 15 minutes. The email said incidental passing in the hallway is not considered close contact.
“If you are believed to be a close contact of someone who has tested positive, you will be contacted by the health department as part of their contact tracing protocol,” the email said.
On-campus COVID outbreaks limited
The only other outbreak reported to date among MSU students is tied to student-athletes and athletics department staff members. So far, 16 of the 122 student-athletes on campus and four staff members have tested positive, but it's not clear how many of those athletes live on campus.
MSU on Friday announced the football team would quarantine for 14 days after members of the team tested positive for COVID-19.
More: 16 Michigan State athletes, 4 staff members test positive for COVID-19
With the cases in Holmes Hall and those among the athletics department, Vail said the health department is in contact with university physicians when a positive case is found.
Even without notification from MSU, a state disease surveillance database shows when a new positive case is found and the health department monitors that information, she said.
"We have ongoing communication with MSU," Vail said.
MSU advised students that if think they have symptoms of the virus or are concerned about their health, they should contact their health care provider or the campus health center.
MSU told residents it is following precautions recommended by local health officials and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It is critically important you continue to maintain proper physical distancing of six feet or more and continue to wear a mask both indoors and outdoors – for your safety and the safety of others," the email said.
MSU readies for fall, limited in-person classes
MSU plans to have students back on campus next month and offer at least some in-person courses.
Olsen said administrators directed instructors to alter their courses so that of all undergraduate and graduate courses, 49% will be offered online, 37% will be offered in-person, and 14% of the courses will be a hybrid offering online and in-person experiences.
Courses that typically see large numbers of students, like traditional lecture hall-style classes, will be moved online. Students in smaller courses will attend their classes in a classroom. In-person classes will see smaller class sizes with spaced-out seating to accommodate social distancing for the students and the instructors.
More: How Michigan State University will manage coronavirus on campus
The in-person classes will be moved online after Nov. 25 to cut the amount of traveling for students and staff to help reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
Most dorm room assignments are continuing as usual, without any occupancy reductions, with the exception of 20 double-occupancy rooms on the north end of campus that have been reduced to single-occupancy since there wouldn’t have been enough space between beds to ensure students could practice social distancing while studying and sleeping.
Akers Hall will be transitioned into self-isolation housing, according to Olsen.
Contact reporter Craig Lyons at 517-377-1047 or calyons@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @craigalyons. Contact Mark Johnson at 517-377-1026 or at majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.
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