An NYU Law Faculty Member Has Tested Positive for Coronavirus

The case is the first to be confirmed by university administrators.

Graphic by Sophie Grieser.

By John DiLillo and Izzie Ramirez

An NYU Law faculty member has tested positive for coronavirus, an email from Dean Trevor Morrison confirmed late Tuesday night to Law School students.

The case is the first to be confirmed by university administrators, a day after the spread of the virus prompted NYU’s New York campus to move to remote classes until at least March 27.

“The faculty member is not teaching at the Law School this semester, and the faculty member has not been on campus in the last week,” Morrison wrote. “However, the faculty member was on campus on a handful of occasions between eight and fifteen days ago.”

The “relatively few people” who were in direct contact with the faculty member have been informed, the email went on.

“If we learn of other positive tests, we will continue the practice of notifying those within our community known to have had close contact with the person in question,” Morrison wrote.

At publication, more than 1,000 people in the continental United States tested positive for the novel coronavirus. On Tuesday, the Northeast saw its first known death from the illness, a 69-year-old New Jersey man with a history of pre-existing conditions.

University spokesperson John Beckman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This article will be updated with any developments as we learn more.

If you have a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, seek medical care. Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. You can call the Student Health Center at 212–443–1000 and speak with a nurse. If you are experiencing instances of bias, harassment or discrimination due to coronavirus fears, you can report concerns to the Bias Response Line at bias.response@nyu.edu or by calling 212–998–2277.