Mississippi College professor tests positive for coronavirus
Justin VicoryA professor at Mississippi College has tested positive for COVID-19.
The faculty member is now under the care of doctors, officials at the college said on Friday.
The college has notified individuals who may have come in contact with the faculty member, who has not been on campus since March 5, making exposure to students or staff unlikely, officials said.
“We have taken every precaution to protect MC students and the MC community since the beginning of this crisis, but we knew it was likely that COVID-19 would reach us, just as it has reached the rest of the world,” college President Blake Thompson said in a news release.
It is unknown when the professor contracted the virus. The college has transitioned to online-only courses in the last week and many students were on Spring Break the week before.
The university is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Coronavirus in Mississippi: What we know Friday
“In the spirit of transparency, we wanted to inform the MC community about this case as soon as possible. We pray for a full recovery for our adjunct professor and for the health and safety of the family involved.”
There have been 1,358 cases of the virus in Mississippi as of Friday, with 26 deaths, according to the state Department of Health.
Contact Justin Vicory at 769-572-1418 or jvicory@gannett.com. Follow @justinvicory on Twitter.