Five students at University of Tampa test positive for coronavirus after traveling for spring break
Five students at the University of Tampa have tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling for their spring break, school officials say.
The college students were traveling together with other UT students, but the school has not specified where they went during their break.
On Friday the University posted that initially one student test positive. Then on Saturday four more students who traveled together for break tested positive.
Three of those students returned to campus after their spring break travels.
Those students are now self-isolating and have not been hospitalized. It's not clear if those pupils live on or off campus.
Five students at the University of Tampa have tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling for their spring break, school officials said Saturday night. Campus pictured above
The University of Tampa shared this notice saying the students had traveled together with other UT students for spring break before testing positive for the virus
UT shared this post adding: 'We sincerely wish our students, and any others who may be affected, a full and rapid recovery'
The university had switched to online classes last week on March 17 and students have been instructed to leave campus.
'UT has been notified that four UT students, traveling together and with other UT students during Spring Break, have tested positive for COVID-19. One of the students did not return to campus after spring break, and three returned to campus. All are self-isolating – the latter three on campus -- and none have been hospitalized,' the school posted on Facebook on Saturday.
'The Florida Department of Health is following its protocol to identify, notify and quarantine any individuals that have had contact with these individuals.
'We sincerely wish our students, and any others who may be affected, a full and rapid recovery,' the statement added.
College students across the nation disregarded warnings to social distance and remain at home in light of the coronavirus pandemic, prodding local leaders such as Miami Beach's Mayor to declare 'Spring Break is over' when youngsters continued to party on the beach.
In Florida thousands defiant college students were seen partying on the sand and gathering in bars and restaurants, despite efforts by local politicians to ban gatherings and warnings from health officials.
One young man, Bradley Sluder told CBS: 'If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day I'm not going to let it stop me.'
College students across the nation disregarded warnings to social distance and remain at home in light of the coronavirus pandemic, prodding local leaders such as Miami Beach's Mayor to declare 'Spring Break is over' when youngsters continued to party on the beach
Young partiers pictured in Miami, Florida after Governor Ron DeSantis ordered all bars to be shut down for 30 days due to the coronavirus outbreak
Thousands of college students touched down in Florida's beach cities as they do every day, unperturbed by the coronavirus pandemic and warnings by health officials to social distance
Jay Jones, a 22-year-old student from Drexel University in Philadelphia who traveled from Philadelphia said: 'It's so weird, we didn't think it was going to get this bad. At least I'm still in warm weather though, so whatever, I'll just hang out in the hotel and flex. I'm staying for the rest of my trip.'
Officials in Miami beach have declared it illegal for more than 10 people to gather together and shutting its bars and restaurants in an effort to stymie the spread of the coronavirus.
The move there and in nearby Fort Lauderdale was the latest sign of U.S. cities struggling to cope with a pandemic sweeping across the nation.
Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale set up barricades blocking access to public beaches. Tampa also closed down their beaches to the public.
Police cars were stationed behind the dunes and police officers on ATVs and bicycles were out in force to monitor traffic and crowds.
The mayors of Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale said they would issue fines for anyone breaking the restrictions and did not rule out the possibility of arrests.
'Closing our public beaches was without precedent, but necessary,' Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said.
