Oregon State University is testing residents of one of its dorms and an off campus student apartment building for COVID-19 after wastewater investigators found traces of the virus in sewer outflows.
The moderate genetic signals of novel coronavirus were detected in sewage from Sackett Hall on OSU’s west side, and a private apartment building north of the Corvallis campus.
The discovery prompted rapid response diagnostic testing of students who live in Sackett Hall and the GEM apartments. OSU Vice President Steven Clark says if there are any positive test results, they’ll follow that with contact tracing and isolate anyone who is infected.
“This is exactly what we should be doing, monitoring. And when there’s actionable information that requires further investigation, to act on that.”
OSU TRACE testing of wastewater is being conducted at OSU’s campuses in Corvallis and Bend and at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
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