CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) -

Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow announced Tuesday that he and his wife, Adele, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Bacow wrote in a letter to the community that he and his wife learned they were positive Tuesday morning and wanted to share the news as soon as possible.

They started experiencing symptoms on Sunday, beginning with coughing before escalating to fevers, chills and muscle aches, Bacow explained. The couple then went for testing on Monday.

“Neither of us knows how we contracted the virus, but the good news—if there is any to be had—is that far fewer people crossed our paths recently than is usually the case,” Bacow wrote in the letter, adding that they had started working from home and had been limiting contact with others.

The Department of Public Health is contacting anyone who may have been in close contact with the couple over the past 14 days.

“We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home,” Bacow continued. “I am blessed with a great team, and many of my colleagues will be taking on more responsibility over the next few weeks as Adele and I focus on just getting healthy. Thanks, in advance, for your good wishes. Thanks also for your understanding if I am not as responsive to email as I normally am.”

Bacow emphasized that people need to keep following guidelines to limit contact with others to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“I hope to see as few of you in our situation as possible, and I urge you to continue following the guidance of public health experts and the advice and orders of our government officials,” he wrote.

Health officials announced Monday that there are 777 confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts, with nine reported deaths.

(Copyright (c) 2020 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)