March 18, 2020
Dear DePaul community members,
I write to provide further information about the first confirmed case of COVID-19 at DePaul University. On Tuesday, March 17, the university received notification from a faculty member who works in the Department of Art, Media and Design, in 1150 W. Fullerton Avenue, that they tested positive for COVID-19. The faculty member has not had contact with students since Wednesday, March 11 and believes they contracted COVID-19 sometime after their Wednesday class, based on contact with an individual who had tested positive. The faculty member was last in the building on Sunday, March 15 with another person who is not affiliated with DePaul and also tested positive for COVID-19.
As mentioned in an
earlier message, AMITA Sage Medical, which is located within the 1150 W. Fullerton Avenue building, will reopen on Thursday, March 19.
Please join me in wishing this member of our DePaul family and their companion a quick and full recovery. The faculty member is self-quarantining off campus, in accordance with Chicago Department of Public Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. DePaul Health Promotion and Wellness and Public Safety staff are communicating with our faculty member, and will reach out as appropriate to any DePaul employees or students who may have had close contact.
It is our responsibility, as directed by the CDC, to maintain the privacy and anonymity of those individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those who may be part of any contact investigation. Our support for our faculty member and others will include doing all we collectively can, including respecting their privacy. Please remember to honor this commitment to privacy for those who contract the virus.
DePaul is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the wellbeing of the DePaul family as well as the communities surrounding the campuses where we work and learn.
The DePaul COVID-19 Updates and Guidance
website continues to be the best source of information about the steps the university is taking in response to COVID-19 and answers to
FAQs. To learn more about reporting procedures, visit our
COVID-19 Resource page.
Now more than ever, as we continue to make our way through these challenging times, take care of yourself, take care of one another. Take care DePaul.
Sincerely,
A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D.
President