Resident at UCI campus housing tests positive for coronavirus after returning from international trip

A resident at UC Irvine’s campus family housing has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, officials said Saturday.

The patient, who is not a student, returned from an international trip with symptoms, according to a statement from UCI officials. The person has been “resting comfortably in good condition,” the message said.

The university said it could not disclose the patient’s identity or any further personal information.

UCI police, which first announced the case, described the patient as a university “affiliate” who lives in graduate student housing.

University officials emphasized that the risk to students and staff members is low and that the campus was working with the Orange County Health Care Agency to reach out to anyone who may have been in contact with the patient.

“As testing becomes more available in the coming weeks, it is likely that we will become aware of additional positive cases within the UCI community,” the UCI statement said.

Earlier this month, the university canceled its June graduation ceremony in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Health Care Agency on Saturday reported a total of 78 cases in the county, up from 65 the day before. Of the cases, 35 were travel-related; eight were through contact with an infected person; 29 were “community-acquired,” meaning they involved people who had not traveled or had contact with a known case; and six were under investigation, according to the agency.

The county has had no deaths from the illness, the agency said.

Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.

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