COVID-19 contracted by employee at North Central College in Naperville

An administrative staff member at North Central College in Naperville has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced Sunday.

The employee worked in the Old Main building and alerted school officials of the test result on Sunday, North Central College President Troy Hammond said in a statement posted online.

The staff member was last at work March 10, six days before the college suspended in-person classes March 16 and moved instruction online through the rest of the spring semester.

The employee began feeling ill and started a two-week quarantine after consulting a healthcare provider and the local health department, Hammond said. The employee later tested positive for coronavirus.

The employee contacted school members with whom the person had close contact, Hammond said.

“We knew that it was likely only a matter of time before our campus community would be more directly affected by COVID-19, which is why we’ve taken the steps that we have over the past several days and weeks to prioritize the health and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader community,” Hammond said.

Public health officials told the school to expect additional coronavirus cases in the coming days, Hammond said. Updates will be posted on the school’s website.

“I encourage everyone in our campus community to continue caring for each other during these trying times,” Hammond said.