All students in SMU's Rice building told to self-isolate until negative test result
2 confirmed but unrelated COVID-19 cases found in residence of Halifax university
Everyone who lives in the Rice building on the Saint Mary's University campus is being told to immediately self-isolate until they receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
The decision is being made by Public Health out of an abundance of caution, after two unrelated cases of the virus were confirmed in the residence, according to a news release from the university.
Residents of nearby Loyola Residence who spent any "extended time" in the Rice building between April 26 and May 3 are also being told to self-isolate until they receive a negative test result.
Testing is available on campus.
In an email to CBC News, SMU spokesperson Cale Loney did not say how the self-isolation requirements would be enforced, only that Rice residents are bound by the same laws as all Nova Scotians and are legally required to self-isolate as directed by Public Health.
About 80 people are impacted by the self-isolation requirements, Loney said in an email.
According to the university's website, Rice residence can house up to 310 students in a regular year, with up to 20 people on each floor, though residences are operating at a reduced capacity during the pandemic.