Yale-NUS student tests positive for Covid-19, one hostel block is locked down

SINGAPORE — A student at Yale-NUS College has tested positive for Covid-19 and the students’ hostel that he was staying in has been locked down for a week, TODAY has learnt.

In two emailed circulars from the Yale-NUS dean of students Dave Stanfield dated Friday (April 30) that were sent to the school and to residents of the affected hostel block, it was stated that the student had developed flu-like symptoms on April 26, was swabbed on April 28 and tested positive on April 29.

Contact-tracing of close contacts is underway, and deep cleaning and disinfection of places visited by the student have been completed, the email read.

In response to queries, Dr Stanfield confirmed that the student has been sent to the hospital and is receiving treatment.

“We remain in close contact with the student to render all necessary support and wish our student a full recovery soon,” he said.

The student was also a resident at Cendana College, one of three residential colleges at Yale-NUS, with the other two being Saga and Elm Colleges. He is now in a “medical facility”, the email stated.

The email seen by TODAY read: “Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all residents in Cendana College Tower A to self-isolate in their rooms for seven days till May 7, 12pm, and comply with the self-isolation rules that have been shared with them.”

Leave of absences have been granted to affected students, according to instructions given to residents in the affected hostel tower.

Those who are staying on campus have to self-isolate in their hostel rooms while those who are at home, but were in Cendana Tower A between April 24 and 29 can remain quarantined at home.

They may also choose to return to the hostel to quarantine there if they have vulnerable persons at home.

These quarantined students may leave their room briefly only for essential activities such as doing laundry and receiving food orders from a food delivery service. Meals from the dining hall will also be delivered to their rooms.

The students’ office told students to attend examinations online and inform their lecturers and professors if they have face-to-face classes, work duties for an internship or a research project.

Any breach of these rules will result in disciplinary action, including termination of campus housing, suspension or dismissal from the college, students were told.

“We understand that this latest development could be of concern to our community and wanted to share the information with you as soon as we could because your health and safety are of the highest priority,” the email read.

Dr Stanfield told TODAY that it was a precautionary measure to get all residents staying in the same residential block as the student to go into self-isolation.

He did not identify the student or say how many people were staying in the hostel.

“The health and safety of our community are of paramount importance. We continue to ask our community to adhere strictly to all precautionary measures put in place, monitor their health, practise good personal hygiene and be socially responsible,” he said.