LOS ANGELES (CNS) - An erroneous claim on social media of a student at USC contracting coronavirus prompted the school to issue a statement this morning denying anyone on campus was diagnosed with the virus.
About 11:15 p.m. Monday, a reply to a post about the coronavirus on USC's Twitter account claimed a student at The Lorenzo student apartment complex had contracted the virus, prompting the school to respond.
“We want to provide an update to the USC Community because there has been an incorrect report that a student at the Lorenzo, an off-campus housing facility, has contracted the 2019 novel coronavirus,” the statement issued about midnight read. “No one affiliated with USC has developed the illness.”
A second statement issued about 12:50 a.m. said a student at The Lorenzo was taken by ambulance to a hospital, but “because of student and patient privacy laws, we are unable to talk about any specific individuals. However, we can confirm that there are no students or residents from the off- campus Lorenzo Apartments diagnosed or under evaluation for the 2019 novel coronavirus. Students can be transported by ambulance for a variety of health conditions.”
The statement added “notifications about 2019 novel coronavirus infections occur through local public health authorities and will be communicated to the community.”
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