University Canada West closes Vancouver campus following presumptive case of COVID-19

A private Vancouver university says it has closed its doors after identifying a student with a presumptive case of COVID-19.

In a statement, University Canada West said the “student had been visited by their father who has positively been tested for COVID-19 upon visiting from overseas.”

The student’s roommate is in isolation.

Students and staff who may have been in close contact with the students have been identified and contacted, the school said.

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The school, located in the 600-block of West Pender St., says it is working to disinfect all public and back-office areas.

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The school hopes to re-open Monday. In the meantime, classes will be available via remote online teaching, the school said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix confirmed the case was one of eight new cases announced Thursday.

“When a case is determined positive, we start an investigation immediately of contacts around that case,” said Dix.

“Sometimes to contacts involve talking to groups or institutions, and that information gets out before we announce it.”

There are 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C., the most serious of which is a woman in her 80s who is in the ICU at Vancouver General Hospital.