New Coastal Carolina president Michael T. Benson tests positive for the coronavirus
Coastal Carolina president Michael T. Benson has tested positive for COVID-19. He learned of the positive result on Thursday morning and is isolating at home, according to an email from the Office of the President that was sent to the campus community Friday morning.
He said in a Twitter message to The Sun News that he does have some symptoms of the virus.
“Not feeling so great at the moment but have been following all the prescribed protocols and will remain in quarantine for the next 10 days,” Benson said. “As everyone has said, this is nasty stuff and I am grateful for the notes and well wishes I’ve received.”
Benson took over president duties from the departing David DeCenzo earlier this month, and said he will still perform some of those tasks from home.
“With a positive COVID result, I can take those prescribed steps to ensure contact tracing protocols are followed, others can take necessary precautions, and I can isolate and get better soon. I am very hopeful those I have been around of late will remain healthy,” Benson said in the email.
“During my time away from campus, I will continue to work via virtual meetings and will utilize other technologies to keep pace with our 100-day schedule. I also plan to participate in our virtual campus reading group – The Empowered University.”
He urges everyone to follow the CDC guidelines of wearing a mask, physical distancing, and frequently washing hands to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“The surrounding communities are seeing a lot more cases than last fall. Let’s make sure we stay on track here at CCU, taking all the steps we can every day to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” he said in the email.
COVID-19 on campus
The university reported 20 new coronavirus cases Friday for the week from Jan. 14-20, consisting of eight students, 10 employees and two school affiliates. Benson’s positive test was not among them since his result came back Thursday.
Many students returned to campus housing last weekend for the spring semester, which began on Tuesday.
The school has reported 416 positive cases since June 8, when athletes began returning to campus for workouts, including 338 students and 72 faculty/staff.
CCU also reported four students in isolation for positive tests and eight in quarantine through contact tracing as of Wednesday. A total of 242 students in university housing has been released or cleared from isolation, and 406 have been cleared from quarantine.
Approximately 3,800 students moved into university housing between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4 among CCU’s more than 10,000 students, according to CCU vice president for auxiliary services Steve Harrison.
The positive test results are the combined totals of all university symptomatic testing – the general student population is being tested only when students request a test because they are symptomatic – regular surveillance testing results of student-athletes per Sun Belt Conference and NCAA guidelines, including at least weekly testing for in-season athletes, and positive test results reported by students, employees, and school affiliates. Weekly test numbers are through 5 p.m. each Wednesday.
Coastal is leasing off-campus housing properties to isolate students who have tested positive.
The virus has been rampant in Horry County and South Carolina in recent weeks. According to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, daily case rates in the state are the highest they’ve ever been, up 66% in the last month, with 89 people per 100,000 testing positive for the novel coronavirus over the past 30 days.
The state has reported at least 4,000 daily confirmed cases 10 times in January and at least 3,000 cases on 17 days this month.
In Horry County on Thursday, 147 cases and four COVID-related deaths were reported. Overall, the county has seen 22,267 positive tests and 311 deaths through Thursday with a 6.3% positive test rate. Those deaths include former Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes on Sunday.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 10:42 AM.
