Five Florida college students have tested positive for the coronavirus after celebrating spring break.
The University of Tampa announced the infections on Saturday and said the students were recovering. The school said the young patients had traveled with other university students over spring break but did not say where to or with whom.
“UT has been notified that five UT students, traveling together and with other UT students during Spring Break, have tested positive for COVID-19,” the university said in a tweet. “We sincerely wish our students, and any others who may be affected, a full and rapid recovery.”
UT has been notified that five UT students, traveling together and with other UT students during Spring Break, have tested positive for COVID-19. We sincerely wish our students, and any others who may be affected, a full and rapid recovery. https://t.co/MXl4e1v3gh
— The University of Tampa (@UofTampa) March 21, 2020
Videos of spring breakers went viral last week as hundreds of thousands of students ignored the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings about avoiding crowds and businesses where crowds tend to gather by flooding Florida beaches. Public health experts are now concerned that spring breakers returning home may spread the coronavirus to others.
“What is happening in Florida with spring break partying-on by students oblivious to the epidemiological implications of their actions is nothing short of tragic,” Yale epidemiology professor Gregg Gonsalves said. “While many of us have been hunkering down to try to break the chains of infection in our communities, these young people have decided the pleasures of the moment are worth bringing back the coronavirus to their friends and family.”
