COVID-19 outbreak at Concordia University in Irvine infects over 60s

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) – Dominic Castro, a student at Concordia University in Irvine, was surprised to learn Monday that there were 49 active cases of students with COVID-19 and another 16 cases of employees on the campus reported to his school.

A campus update sent to the Concordia community last Saturday said the outbreak was revealed by students’ routine antigen testing before the Thanksgiving break.

University president Dr Michael Thomas is awaiting confirmation of PCR testing from the Orange County Health Care Agency by Wednesday.

“These tests were not provoked by any symptomatic individuals. They were carried out with great caution in order to protect the families. These additional tests in addition to our routine tests, related to athletics for example, explain the peak of positive cases. ” Thomas said.

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According to the update, those affected are being isolated or quarantined, benefiting from daily health checks and meal and laundry services.

Classes returned to online teaching on Monday 23 November.

“The positive cases seem to relate to groups of friends and groups of roommates and maybe some sports groups. We ask students to train in groups,” Thomas said.

Castro, who is a graduate student on the lacrosse team, said he felt safe about the protocols his group followed, but was happy to leave campus after the season ended.

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“We started out running with masks on, then we went to groups of five, groups of 10, no contact and then contact, so I felt like we were doing our part, making sure that everything was fine and that we could do what we can do, but, certainly even right now in late fall, when the season is supposed to be spring, it’s a bit worrying, ”a Castro said.

Castro knows firsthand that it is easy for people his age to carry the virus without knowing it. This was the case with her sister, a student at Arizona State University.

“She had no symptoms, but she did and she is fine now,” Castro said, adding, “College students, we have to realize that even though we don’t feel anything and that we could still spread it,” said Castro said.

Thomas said 15 more students were placed in quarantine on Monday and contact tracing was ongoing.