Idaho’s first coronavirus case is tied to Meridian’s Idaho State campus
The woman who was the first person in Idaho with a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus is a student at Idaho State University’s Meridian campus, the university announced Saturday.
The state announced the case late Friday afternoon. The woman was described as an Ada County resident in her 50s.
Idaho State shut down the Meridian campus Friday morning for cleaning before the positive test result was known. The samples were taken from the woman late Thursday, according to state health officials, and tested Friday morning.
The campus is located at 1311 E. Central Drive, near the crossing of Locust Grove Road and Interstate 84.
The woman was last on campus Tuesday, Idaho State’s announcement said. It was signed by President Kevin Satterlee.
“All potentially impacted individuals who had contact with the student have already been notified and are being monitored,” Satterlee wrote. “Central District Health (CDH) is contacting those faculty, staff and students who had closest contact with the student to provide further guidance. If you are not contacted by CDH or our University Health Center, then there is no reason for you to have elevated concern. CDH has advised us that this is not an illness that is spread through brief, casual contact.”
The woman had returned from a conference in New York City, said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator of public health for the Department of Health and Welfare. Three other attendees at that conference have tested positive for the coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.
The woman is at home in self-isolation.
Idaho announced a second confirmed coronavirus case Saturday. That case was identified in Blaine County.
Idaho State offers more than 20 graduate and undergraduate degrees in the Treasure Valley, according to the university website, with most in health and science fields. It moved into the Idaho State University Meridian Health Science Center in August 2009.
The 4-acre complex has nine distance-learning classrooms, the L.S. Skaggs Pharmacy Complex, counseling and speech-and-language clinics, and human patient simulation and clinical/medical science laboratories, according to the website.
The Delta Dental of Idaho Dental Residency Clinic opened in 2011. It provides advanced training for dentists and treatment for underserved patients.
The West Ada School District administrative offices and Renaissance Magnet High School are adjacent to the university facilities. Renaissance students have opportunities to use ISU facilities, and the two schools share library space.
Idaho State announced Friday that it was beginning spring break a week early university-wide and would move to distance learning for the rest of the semester when classes resume March 30. That decision was part of a statewide push for distance learning at the college level to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Residential students have been encouraged to complete the semester from their permanent homes if possible.
This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 2:58 PM.
