Clark College student among COVID-19 cases as total rises to 116

The student was last on campus March 12 and tested positive on March 27

CLARK COUNTY — The number of COVID-19 cases in Clark County rose to 116 on Tuesday, with six more confirmed by Clark County Public Health.

The total number of fatalities related to the disease remains at six.

Clark College also confirmed on Monday that a student tested positive for COVID-19 on March 27. The student is reportedly experiencing only mild symptoms and has been self-isolating at home.

The college emphasizes that it is highly unlikely anyone was exposed on campus. The student who is infected said they believe it happened on March 20, and they haven’t been on campus since March 12.

Out of an abundance of caution, Clark College released the locations the infected student visited on March 10 and 12, including STEM Building 324 and STEM Building 306, as well as the coffee stand in the Main PUB at the Gaiser Hall building.

“Because the virus incubation period is 14 days, there should be little concern of contracting the virus if you did not experience symptoms by March 26,” wrote interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill in a letter to students. “At this point, the Health Department is advising Clark that  beyond our current COVID-19 event protocols, there is nothing the College needs to do at this time because of this student’s diagnosis.”

As of Tuesday, Clark County Public Health says there have been 879 tests that have come back negative, though the number is lagging behind the actual number of tests being conducted. 

Clark County Today has reached out to hospitals in the area to determine if testing capacity has increased, and will update this story when we receive a response.

The age of confirmed cases continues to primarily be in people between 30-60 years old, though all of the deaths in Clark County have been in people over the age of 70.

For more information on the novel coronavirus outbreak in Clark County, click here.