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Hundreds of students in Dundee have been told to isolate themselves after a suspected coronavirus outbreak in the hallways of the residence.
A single positive case and a small number of other possible infections related to Parker House, a private accommodation block, are under investigation.
Contact trackers attempt to identify anyone that the Abertay student college may have happened COVID-19 but until then the 500 residents must isolate themselves.
Live updates on coronavirus from the UK and around the world
Dr. Daniel Chandler, associate director of public health, said the virus it can “spread very quickly in student accommodation.”
He added: “Investigations and contact tracing are continuing and we will review this tip in the coming days.
“It is really important that any resident who develops symptoms request a test as soon as possible.”
Professor Nigel Seaton, director of the Abertay University, said affected students are being “supported” and “we will maintain regular daily contact with them.”
The university had already increased cleaning and security measures so the campus will remain open, he added.
Follow the announcement of tighter restrictions in Scotland as cases across the UK start to rise for the second time.
As of Wednesday, households are prohibited from mixing indoors.
Those who live alone will be able to form extended households, while couples who do not live together, who need childcare and merchants will be exempt.
One organization warned that universities would become ‘second wave nursing homes’
A higher education union has previously warned universities could become the “residences of the second wave of COVID-19”.
Jo Grady, UCU director, told Sky News a few weeks ago that the start of a new academic year is “the largest annual migration of people in the UK”.
“That’s a million students, moving around the country, cycling in and out of lockdown zones, bubbles, homes, to new cities, where we are not tracking those students, we are not evaluating those students,” he said .
“We are seriously concerned that if the government and universities do not step in and discourage this … we could see universities becoming the residences of the second wave of COVID-19.”
