The first case of coronavirus in Alachua County has been confirmed as a 68-year-old Georgia woman, said Alachua County Department of Health administrator Paul Myers.
Myers said anyone who has recently come in contact with her has been identified and quarantined. Her exposures in Alachua County are “minimal” and the risk is low.
When asked if anyone at UF had been potentially exposed, Myers said he was “not going to get into those details.”
Myers declined to share how many tests are currently being run, citing patient confidentiality.
“The more details that I provide, the more information you have to try and connect dots that I really don't want you to connect,” Myers said.
For days, rumors have circulated about the virus making its way to UF Health Shands. However, UF Health spokesperson Ken Garcia confirmed today that there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus at UF Health Shands Hospital.
UF Public Affairs sent an email Monday notifying students that UF Provost Joe Glover instructed faculty to begin transitioning their in-person classes online “effective immediately” to combat the spread of the virus.
“While this is not a requirement at this time, there is a strong probability that it will become a requirement before the end of the spring semester,” the email read.
On March 2, UF sent an announcement requesting for all students and employees returning from high-risk areas such as China, South Korea, Italy or Iran to self-quarantine, or isolate themselves, for two weeks before returning to campus.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
