March 19, 2020: Coronavirus cases confirmed

 

Dear Spartan community: 

I was informed today by the Ingham County Health Department of two confirmed cases of novel coronavirus connected to our university. Both individuals are being treated, and neither person is currently on our campus in East Lansing. On behalf of our Spartan community, I know you will join me in wishing them both a full recovery as they battle this virus.

The cases are unrelated to each other. In my desire to keep you informed on this very fluid situation, I also want to respect the privacy of those directly impacted. As a community of 75,000 students, faculty and staff, it is reasonable to expect that we will have several cases that will involve members of our community. It won’t always be possible for me to send out alerts and updates.

I expect that each member of our university community will continue to support one another during this health crisis. The university continues to work closely with local and state health departments and follow all appropriate steps to mitigate further spread on campus and in our communities. The new cases announced today underscore the important health and safety decisions MSU is making to keep us all healthy and safe.

We continue to urge Spartans, Michiganders and Americans to take appropriate steps to protect themselves and others during this global pandemic, including:

  • Practice social distancing, avoiding close contact with others when possible.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid crowds.
  • Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
  • Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
  • Clean your doorknobs, light switches and commonly touched areas with disinfectant wipes frequently.

I encourage you to continue checking for updated information at www.msu.edu/coronavirivus. In addition to our website, please call our toll-free line if you have questions: 888-353-1294.

I know this is not easy. We all are having to make difficult decisions. But we are addressing these challenges together, and we will continue to do what is best for the health and safety of our students, employees and Spartan community.

Sincerely,

Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D.
President