By Daniel Wu on March 5, 2020

“Stanford Medicine is currently caring for a few patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 [coronavirus],” wrote University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne in an announcement on Thursday afternoon.



“Our hospitals and clinics on campus provide essential health care for the people of our region,” Tessier-Lavigne wrote. “Stanford Medicine … is following CDC and county reporting regulations. I want to emphasize that Stanford Medicine continues to follow protocols to ensure the safety of patients and health care workers.”



Stanford Medicine spokesperson Julie Greicius declined to comment on how many patients were being cared for, nor did she comment on whether the patients are affiliated with Stanford, citing patient privacy laws.



Greicius also declined to specify whether the patients are being cared for at Stanford Hospital on campus. Stanford Medicine’s facilities also include its ValleyCare hospital in Pleasanton and various specialty clinics across the Bay Area.



Stanford Medicine is following campus safety guidelines set by the University, Greicius added.



“Patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 receive care in an isolated ‘negative pressure’ room, which restricts airflow from leaving the room,” Greicius wrote in an email to The Daily. “Their healthcare providers are required to wear ‘Airborne,’ ‘Droplet’ and ‘Contact’ personal protective equipment (PPE), which includes an N95 mask, gown, gloves and eye protection.”



As of Thursday, 20 people in Santa Clara County have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.



On Wednesday, Stanford restricted University-sponsored international travel, including canceling all spring overseas programs, and recommended the postponement of events larger than 150 people.



In his statement, Tessier-Lavigne wrote that Stanford would seek to balance maintaining campus safety and “continuing our daily education and research activities in ways that are appropriate under the circumstances.”



Contact Daniel Wu at dwu21 ‘at’ stanford.edu.

