A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a Western University student residence.
Five students in Saugeen-Maitland Hall have been confirmed positive by the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU).
There is no evidence of classroom transmission, the university in London, Ont. said in a statement released Saturday.
All employees and residents of Saugeen are being notified and asked to self-monitor for symptoms.
“Western is prepared for this scenario. And we are coordinating closely with the MLHU to ensure students are receiving appropriate care and that proper precautions are being taken to minimize further risk of transmission,” said Chris Alleyne, Western’s associate vice-president of housing and ancillary services.
This is not the first COVID-19 outbreak at Saugeen-Maitland Hall.
In November 2020, an outbreak was declared at the residence after eight cases were confirmed.
In March 2021, another outbreak was declared. It was linked to seven cases.
In a statement to Global News, Western said it was the first university in Canada to make vaccination mandatory for students living in residence, and one of the first to require proof of vaccination for all students, staff and faculty on campus.
The school says it has a 99 per cent vaccination rate.