NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. (WHDH) - Dozens of additional students living in a dorm on the campus of Merrimack College have tested positive for the coronavirus.
A large percentage of students residing in Monican Hall were tested Tuesday morning as they left campus to quarantine following a cluster of 17 positive cases within the dorm, according to a college spokesperson.
Results showed that 47 additional students tested positive for the virus as of 6 p.m. Thursday, the spokesperson said in a letter to the community.
More than 3,800 college community members underwent testing in the past three days and the results showed that the cluster of cases does not extend outside of Monican Hall, the spokesperson added.
“We are now optimistic with the Monican residents off the campus in isolation or in quarantine, that the campus can stay safely open and fully operational,” the letter read.
The majority of students living in the dorm opted to quarantine off-campus, while the remaining residents are quarantining in campus-designated spaces.
All residential students will now be required to be tested twice each week over the next two weeks beginning Friday.
Commuter students, faculty and staff who would like to increase their testing for the next two weeks and get tested twice may do so.
Monican Hall is empty and being professionally disinfected before anyone moves back in.
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