McMaster University employee tests positive for COVID-19

A McMaster University employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a release posted on McMaster's website Wednesday, the university said it was notified that day that an employee who was on campus Nov. 14 has tested positive for COVID.

When on campus, the employee visited the Faculty of Health Sciences space in the McMaster University Medical Centre building and the psychology building.

The employee followed all COVID-19 health and safety protocols while on campus and all areas of the buildings, as well as all applicable lab equipment, have since been thoroughly cleaned," McMaster said.

Public health is handling contact tracing.

This is the 12th person to have spent time on McMaster campus and later test positive for COVID-19. The university has not reported any outbreaks, which would typically mean transmission occurred on campus.

McMaster's policy is that when it is informed someone is awaiting test results, the areas the person visited on campus in the previous 72 hours are cleaned. If the test comes back negative, additional cleaning may also occur out of an abundance of caution. Most of the time the test comes back negative.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com