A confirmed case of the novel
coronavirus
(COVID-19)
at
the Vic Village-North student
apartment building on Central
Campus was announced by the
leasing office in an email to
residents Friday afternoon. It is
the first case to be discovered at
either student on-campus or off-
campus housing at the University
of Michigan, though it remains
unclear if the individual is a
student.
In the email, the leasing office
reminded students of guidelines
and recommendations from the
Centers for Disease Control on
minimizing exposure and spread
of the virus.
“Now that we have a confirmed
case,
the
guidelines
and
recommendations from the CDC
relating to the coronavirus are
even more pertinent,” the email
reads.
Earlier
Friday
afternoon,
University of Michigan President
Mark
Schlissel
announced
a
University-affiliated
individual
had tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the announcement,
the individual is self-isolating in
Ann Arbor. It is unclear whether
that case is the same as the one
confirmed in Vic Village.
In its email to residents, Vic
Village said it has contracted
a third-party cleaning service
to perform a deep cleaning of
the building on Friday night.
The usual cleaning service will
also enhance its “normal daily
cleaning
protocol.”
The
Vic
Village leasing office did not
reply to request for comment in
time for publication.
On Friday morning, President
Donald
Trump
declared
the
coronavirus outbreak a national
emergency. There are currently
25 confirmed COVID-19 cases
in Michigan as of Friday night,
including three in Washtenaw
County.
In a video posted online Friday,
Jimena Loveluck, health officer
at the Washtenaw County Public
Health Department, discussed
the status of the outbreak.
Despite numerous warnings from
University of Michigan officials and
public health authorities, some students
still attended parties and went out
to bars in the nights following the
University’s decision to move classes
online on Wednesday and in celebration
of St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday.
In response to the novel coronavirus
(COVID-19)
pandemic,
President
Donald Trump declared a national
state of emergency Friday morning.
The United States currently has more
than 1,600 positive cases of the virus,
including 33 in Michigan as of Sunday
morning — with four in Washtenaw
County, one of which was confirmed
in the student apartment building Vic
Village on Friday afternoon.
The official University Twitter
account emphasized the importance
of
minimizing
social
gatherings
in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on
Saturday night.
“Gathering socially in dense groups
is not safe,” the tweet reads. “Please
avoid large groups and confined
spaces this weekend and in celebrating
#StPatricksDay. We can lead by being
responsible. #GoBlue!”
On
Wednesday
night,
the
Interfraternity
Council
and
the
Panhellenic
Council,
two
groups
overseeing
many
fraternities
and
sororities on-campus, suspended all
social events, including those meant
for St. Patrick’s Day, in light of the
coronavirus outbreak. According to
a statement shared with The Daily,
these cancellations are due to the size
of social events and the concern of
disease transmission.
LSA sophomore Sameer Matta,
a member of the fraternity Alpha
Tau Omega, said he agrees with the
councils’ decision to cancel social
events for the semester.
“Sure, it’s a letdown at first, because
(St. Patrick’s Day) is an event we all
look forward to, especially people in
Greek life,” Matta said. “But at the end
of the day, it’s definitely much more
important that we take initiative so
the virus doesn’t spread anymore.
And having a party would be a very
prominent social gathering, so I think
shutting it down was definitely the
right thing to do.”
On his Twitter, Regent Jordan Acker
(D) also encouraged students to avoid
going to bars. In an interview with
The Daily, Acker said he understands
the disappointment students may
feel regarding the cancellation of
festivities. However, he emphasized
the seriousness of the coronavirus
situation.
“As someone who not that long ago
would’ve longed to spend St. Patrick’s
Day at Skeeps or Rick’s, I know that’s
what students want to do right now,”
Acker said.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, March 16, 2020
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
‘A selfish thing to do’: Students attend house
parties, go to bars against recommendations
CDC urges people to avoid large events with more than 50 attendees in efforts to slow spread of virus
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Students continue to go to bars and parties at night despite numerous warnings from University of Michigan officials and public health authorities.
CLAIRE HAO
Daily News Editor
See SOCIALIZING, Page 2
GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
INDEX
Vol. CXXIX, No. 84
©2019 The Michigan Daily
N E W S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
M I C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
michigandaily.com
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HEALTH
The
University
of
Michigan
announced the decision to cancel
in-person classes three days after
students returned from Spring Break,
initiating a wave of uncertainty and
concern.
On March 5, four days before
classes resumed from Spring Break,
University President Mark Schlissel
and Chief Health Officer Preeti
Malani sent an email to the University
community addressing COVID-19
precautions and recommendations
the University planned to implement.
University’s response
to outbreak questioned
KRISTINA ZHENG
Daily Staff Reporter
Students
respond to
COVID-19
COVID-19 case confirmed at Vic Village
Resident of student apartment building on South University tests positive for virus
See STUDENTS, Page 2
CLAIRE HAO &
CALDER LEWIS
Daily News Editor &
Daily Staff Reporter
See APARTMENT, Page 2