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Covid-19: New Outbreak Reported At Marist College, Two Dorms Quarantined

Two Marist dormitories have been placed under quarantine after more students tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total of students who have contracted the virus since the fall semester began to 80, more than any other college campus in Dutchess County. 

Both Marist College's Leo Hall (pictured) and Lower West Cedar Street Town Houses, which collectively house about 447 students, are now under quarantine.

Both Marist College's Leo Hall (pictured) and Lower West Cedar Street Town Houses, which collectively house about 447 students, are now under quarantine.

Photo Credit: Marist College

According to the school's COVID-19 Dashboard, 19 students who have tested positive for the virus are convalescing off-campus, while another 14 are doing so on school grounds. 

Since the semester began, 47 students who previously tested positive overcame the illness and were cleared by the school's medical team to return to campus. 

College administrators announced on Sunday, Nov. 1 that students living in Leo Hall, which houses approximately 317 freshmen, and Sheahan Hall, home to about 130 freshmen students, would be placed under a "precautionary quarantine" after seven out of 99 students tested positive for COVID-19 that day

While the college announced that the latter dorm's quarantine had been lifted on Monday, Nov. 2, students living in Leo Hall are still sequestering to their rooms, waiting for additional test results. 

The school's James J. McCann recreation center, which houses the school's sports facilities, was closed on Monday, Nov. 2 to accommodate COVID testing, and remains closed as of Wednesday, Nov. 4

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Marist's Executive Vice President Geoff Brackett announced that the 28 Lower West Cedar Street Townhouses, which house about 220 sophomores, would also be placed under quarantine, and that in-person dining would also be suspended for an indeterminate amount of time.

"While we cannot provide an exact timetable on when we will receive additional test results, we will continue to update our dashboard daily, generally by 5 p.m.," wrote Brackett in a subsequent communication to the college community on Wednesday, Nov. 4. "If you see any Marist community member violating our COVID-19 related Code of Conduct, please call (845) 575-MASK."

Throughout the most recent outbreak, students living in housing that has not been designated for quarantine by the administration have continued to attend in-person classes. 

All on- and off-campus students will submit to COVID-19 testing at SUNY Upstate Medical Center during the last three weeks of classes before Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to the Marist Circle, after which all classes and final exams will take place online during the last two weeks of the semester. 

Between Oct. 8 and Oct. 15, Marist suspended all in-person classes and on-campus activities after at least 30 people contracted the virus in relation to an off-campus gathering that was held on Oct. 3. Days after the semester began on Aug. 28, two groups of students were suspended and two dorms were quarantined after an earlier off-campus party led to a rash of cases. 

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