There are now eight confirmed cases of COVID-19 in members of the UW Seattle community, according to an updated count Sunday from the environmental health & safety (EH&S) department.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that now has over 600 cases across Washington state as of Saturday, and nearly 400 in King County, according to the state Department of Health.

One of the cases is in a student employee who last came to work Feb. 27 and has not been on campus since developing symptoms March 1. The person’s roommate, who is also a student, also tested positive and has not been on campus since developing symptoms.

The School of Public Health sent an email to students Sunday afternoon saying an undergraduate in the school had tested positive after developing symptoms March 1 and being tested a week later. It is unclear if this case is related to the student employee and their roommate.

Another student traveled out of the state and notified the university they had tested positive for the coronavirus after reaching their destination.

A graduate student started developing symptoms March 9 after last being on campus five days earlier. Both of this student’s roommates are also experiencing symptoms and are staying home.

The Information School notified community members late Saturday night that a student in one of its programs had tested positive with details matching this case.

The fifth confirmed or presumptively positive case of the virus is in a UW employee who reported symptoms last week and is staying home. The employee has not been on campus since developing symptoms.

“These individuals are doing well as they recover in isolation, and we wish them well,” Geoffrey Gottlieb, the interim chair of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, said in an announcement Sunday. “Anyone known to have been in close contact with them is directed to self-isolate and monitor symptoms for 14 days per public health guidance.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider close contact as being within six feet of someone with the virus for a prolonged period of time or having other forms of direct contact, such as being coughed on.

Gottlieb noted that the risk of transmission from these cases is considered to be low, while community transmission continues to increase locally. He added that social distancing, like not gathering in large groups and staying six feet apart from other people, is “vital to slowing this outbreak.”

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Robert Stacey said in a message Sunday afternoon that two students in the college had tested positive for the virus on Friday and are doing well and recovering. The connection between these two and the six student cases the UW has reported is not clear.

The rise in cases marks five new people at the UW with the virus since a Lander Hall resident was reported to have tested positive Friday and a graduate student living in Mercer Court became the first student to have the virus at the university the day before.

The first case in the UW community was an employee at a nearby office space.

As the School of Public Health dean Hilary Godwin recently noted, a growing number of confirmed cases is expected and it means “patients, especially the most vulnerable, will get the care they need and reduce the risk of infecting their loved ones and others.”

Having accurate information allows the public health system to do a better job protecting the community, Godwin added.

“We know it is upsetting to hear about people in our community who are experiencing this illness,” Gottlieb said. “Our hearts and support go out to each of them, and to their friends, loved ones and campus communities.”

It is unclear how many people in the UW community have tested negative or have pending tests since many tests don’t get reported to the university because of the increase in locations administering screenings for the virus.

There are no confirmed cases on the UW’s Bothell or Tacoma campuses, according to the count.

Students who develop symptoms of the coronavirus, which include shortness of breath, fever, and a cough, should contact their health care provider and notify the EH&S Employee Health Center.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Reach News Editor Jake Goldstein-Street at news@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet

Like what you’re reading? Support high-quality student journalism by donating here.