SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Syracuse University announced on Thursday that, after routine testing, COVID-19 was detected in the wastewater at Ernie Davis Hall.
The university is telling students in the hall to not panic.
“If you are away from the hall, please return to EDH and your room immediately. If you are already in your room, please stay there.”
A COVID-19 testing team is being sent to Ernie Davis Hall immediately. That team will test all residents and RAs now.
All residents will be required to quarantine in place as they wait for test results.
The university will also arrange for food service and other necessities as required.
To read the full release, look below:
“Dear Residents of Ernie Davis Hall:
As you are aware, in response to the COVID-19 health emergency, Syracuse University has implemented a robust program of virus surveillance protocols on campus. One of those protocols is routine testing of the wastewater flowing from each on-campus residence hall.
We are writing today to inform you that based on our most recent wastewater testing of Ernie Davis Hall, the results indicate a possible instance of COVID-19 infection within the community of students residing in EDH.
As you are a resident of Ernie Davis Hall, we want to explain what this means for you, and the steps you should take to safeguard your health and the health of others.
1. First, do not panic. If you are away from the hall, please return to EDH and your room immediately. If you are already in your room, please stay there.
2. We will begin conducting room checks at 4:15 p.m. and will continue to do so until all residents are present and in their rooms.
3. The University is immediately sending a COVID-19 testing team to Ernie Davis Hall. That team will test all EDH residents and RAs today.
4. We will process the tests overnight and throughout the day tomorrow to identify any possible COVID-19 infection among the community of students residing in EDH.
5. While we await test results (likely 24-48 hours), all EDH residents will be required to quarantine in place. Remain in your rooms and do not travel to other floors of the building.
6. The University will arrange for food service and other necessities as required.
We will continue to communicate with you directly and often as we work through the process of tracking and isolating any possible infection within the community of students residing in EDH.
Syracuse University Public Health Team”
Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie also released the following statement:
“Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:
A short time ago, epidemiologists leading our wastewater surveillance program detected the presence of COVID-19 in the Ernie Davis Hall sewer. This is not a surprising development as epidemiologists fully expected to detect the presence of the virus by this method during this semester. The wastewater surveillance program is part of the University’s comprehensive effort to expeditiously mobilize our response protocol allowing us to quickly detect, contain and mitigate COVID-19 among our community.
While this detection does not definitively mean an individual in Ernie Davis Hall currently has COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution, we will be closing the building and temporarily quarantining all residents. The building has two sewers—one for the residence hall and the other for the dining hall. At this time, the presence of COVID-19 was only detected in the residence hall.
In addition to temporarily quarantining all residents, the University has begun testing all students and employees who live and work in the building, respectively. Testing will continue throughout the evening until all residents have been tested. We are communicating directly with the residents and employees about testing and quarantining logistics, including academic continuity, food services, access to health services, etc.
We recognize, given the news of outbreaks at other universities, this announcement is concerning. However, we are confident in the efficacy of our monitoring, tracing and isolation strategies. We are working quickly to implement our response protocol to ensure any trace of COVID-19 is quickly contained to limit potential spread.
We will continue to update our community on these efforts. And please know, if any individual in the building does test positive, the contact tracing process will commence immediately.”
