Update: As of 12:35 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, UP students have not been notified by administration that there have been positive COVID-19 cases in the dorm. There is at least one case on campus, but it is unclear how many students are in quarantine or how many students the infected person in question has been in contact with.
The University of Portland has two confirmed cases of COVID-19, one off-campus and one on campus, according to Vice President of Marketing and Communications Michael Lewellen. Both cases are students, Lewellen said on Oct. 23.
Details on how many other people came into contact with these individuals has yet to be released. Students on campus who need to be quarantined will be moved to Haggerty and Tyson Halls.
This news comes as Oregon, and the entire country, breaks its record for daily COVID-19 cases, reporting 550 new confirmed and presumptive cases in total on Oct. 23. 135 of those were in Multnomah County, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
“Today’s case count is again a reminder that Oregonians cannot let their guards down," OHA said in a news release. "OHA published new face covering guidance this week, which requires that people consistently wear face coverings while indoors at their workplace or all other places where they will be in contact with people from outside their household.”
Everyone needs to continue to wear masks, wash their hands regularly and practice social distancing. All indoor gatherings are capped at 10 people.
“We know everyone is tired and we all wish this would go away, but the reality is this disease is spreading in Oregon and it’s on all of us to protect ourselves and each other,” OHA Senior Health Advisor Shimi Sharief said in the OHA news release.
For those showing symptoms or concerned that they may have contracted the virus, the Health and Counseling Center offers COVID-19 testing. This is a developing situation, and The Beacon will be following the story as more information becomes available.
Austin De Dios is the News and Managing Editor of The Beacon. He can be reached at dedios22@up.edu.
