Ontario university halts extracurriculars as coronavirus cluster grows

Western University in London, Ontario has stopped all sports, club meetings, and other extracurriculars as a cluster of student coronavirus cases grows.

So far 28 students at the university about two hours from Toronto have tested positive for the virus. Many students returned to the city this month as school resumed with about a quarter of classes still offering in-person components.

In-person classes will continue at Western, but access to the libraries will be more restricted and all non-academic activities must be moved online.

“We know our students desperately want to have some on-campus experiences. But, unfortunately, this development means we will be limiting those experiences,” university president Alan Shepard said in a news release.

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Most of the infected students live off-campus in rentals surrounding the university, but one student living in residence is also infected and is self-isolating.

The local health unit says most of the cases are tied to two clusters.

“Western is London, and London is Western. These students are a part of our community, and we will care for them the way we have cared for one another and everyone who has been affected by this pandemic,” medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie said in a statement.