The college does not believe there is a significant risk that students were exposed to COVID-19 while in Italy, but are sanitizing out of an abundance of caution.

BRUNSWICK, Maine — Out an abundance of caution, Bowdoin College will be sanitizing areas of campus, where a student who came back from studying abroad in Italy, visited.

The college said the student visited a Brunswick apartment, Chamberlain Hall, and the lobby of Coles Tower, between 5:00pm Thursday, March 5, and 5:30pm Friday March 6. When the school became aware of the students presence, the student was asked to leave campus and return home.

The student left Italy when it was still considered an 'Alert-Level 2' country by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A second student who also returned from Italy when the country was at 'Alert-Level 2' visited downtown Brunswick last week. The student encountered a Bowdoin student-in-residence while in town, but did not go on campus.

These students had both left Italy before the CDC raised the country to a 'Warning-Level 3.'

The college said it does not believe there is a significant risk that these students were exposed to the COVID-19 while in Italy, nor is either student presenting any of the symptoms.

The college goes on to say one of the six students who studied abroad in Italy, had someone from a separate college in their program, test positive for COVID-19. Bowdoin’s director of off-campus study and international programs, as well as the director of health services, reached out to that student to further discuss public health protocols and to offer support.

The student has not presented any symptoms of COVID-19, has been self-isolating at home, and has not been to campus since returning to the United States.