Towson University moves all classes online due to new COVID-19 cases

Towson University moves all classes online due to new COVID-19 cases

MORE THAN 65 CASES OF COVID-19WERE FOUND ON CAMPUS AT TOWSONUNIVERSITY OVER THE WEEKENDAND NOW ALL FALL CLASSES WILLBE HEADED ONLINE.

STUDENTSLIVING ON CAMPUS WILL HAVE TOPACK UP AND LEAVE THEIR DORMSBY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.

WMAR2 NEWS' MARK ROPER IS LIVE ATTOWSON UNIVERSITY.

MARK --WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FORSTUDENTS?THIS WAS THE FIRST WEEK OFCLASSES.

AND STUDENTS WEREJUST BEGINNING TO SETTLE IN.BUT NOW THAT THEY HAVE TOLEAVE -- CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORSARE WORKING WITH STUDENTS SOTHEY CAN GET THEIR MONEY BACKFOR THEIR ROOM AND BOARDEXPENSES.

STUDENTS JUST HADMOVE-IN DAY AND NOW IT'SALREADY TIME TO MOVE OUT.MONDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OFCLASS.

TWO DAYS LATER ONWEDNESDAY -- ADMINISTRATORSBROKE THE NEWS TO STUDENTS THEFALL SEMESTER WILL NOW BEONLINE ONLY.

THE DECISIONCOMES AFTER THE UNIVERSITYHEALTH CENTER AT TOWSONRECEIVED 55 POSITIVE COVID-19TESTS ON SATURDAY.

AND THENANOTHER 11 POSITIVE TESTSRESULTS ON SUNDAY.

TOWSONUNIVERSITY HEALTH OFFICIALSREPORT MOST OF THOSE CASES ARESTUDENTS.

AND THEY NOTE THATCONTACT TRACERS DIDN'T FINDANY COMMON FACTORS CONNECTINGTHE CASES.

SUCH AS -- THEYDON'T BELIEVE THE INFECTEDSTUDENTS WERE ATTENDING LARGEPARTIES OR GATHERINGSTOGETHER.

AS WELL AS THE FACTTHAT THE INFECTED STUDENTSDON'T LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSEOR BUILDING.

ALL OF THESEFACTORS LEAD THEM TO BELIEVETHE VIRUS WAS TRANSMITTEDTHROUGH COMMUNITY SPREAD.

SOAS A PRECAUTIONUNIVERSITY PRESIDENT MADE THEDECISION TO MOVE TO CLASSROOMSONLINE AND EMPTY DORMS. 7:29ELAINA PICCICUTL/TOWSONUNIVERSITY FRESHMAN: I feellike we just unpacked.

Itkind of crazy that wealready going home.

Iteverything is just out ofboxes like everything and nowitWITH SOT 4:42 AISHAPALMER/TOWSON UNIVERSITYFRESHMAN: I guess Idisappointed that I have toleave all the people that Ijust met.

TOWSON AND OTHERUNIVERISTY SYSTEM OF MARYLANDSCHOOLS ARE UNDER A MANDATORYCORONAVIRUS TESTING ORDER.BEFORE STUDENTS AND STAFFCOULD EVEN RETURN TO CAMPUS --THEY HAD TO PROVIDE PROFF OF ANEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST.

LIVEIN TOWSON -- MARK ROPER WMAR 2