Member of Miami community tests positive for coronavirus

Miami University President Greg Crawford announced in a university-wide email Wednesday that a member of the Miami community has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“The individual was last on campus on March 19, and is now self-isolating at their home outside of Ohio,” Crawford wrote.

In his email, Crawford said the university is working with the Butler County Health Department (BCHD) to locate anyone who may have been in close contact with the person who tested positive. Those people will be contacted and given directions on how to move forward.

Erin Smiley, Health Promotion Director for the BCHD, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Information surrounding the confirmed Miami case is limited. Crawford asked for the privacy of the person who tested positive to be respected, and for the Miami community to follow all federal privacy laws during this time.

Tri-Health Vice President of Marketing and Communications Rob Whitehouse said in an email to The Miami Student that as of today, none of the 19 pending tests from McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital had come back positive. Whitehouse said he did not know where the person in Crawford's email was tested.

Both Carole Johnson, interim director of university news and communications, and Ted Pickerill, secretary to the board of trustees and assistant to the President, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“We understand that there are many questions and concerns as we navigate this extraordinary moment in our history,” Crawford wrote in his email. “We continue to work closely with partners at the city and state to manage these challenges and will continue to share information as we are able.”

This is a developing story, and information will be added as it becomes available.

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