15 cases of COVID-19 confirmed at Arizona State University

More ASU students contracted COVID-19, according to university officials.

The number now stands at 15.

TEMPE, Ariz. - Officials with the Arizona State University confirm that as of Monday, there are 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst the university's student population.

ASU released the numbers via a news release Tuesday afternoon. Officials say due to privacy laws, they will not disclose the location of the individuals.

In January, it was reported that a member of the ASU community was the first person to contract the coronavirus. At the time, officials say the person was in Wuhan, China prior to the diagnosis. That person was released from isolation in late February, having tested negative for the virus multiple times.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Arizona Attorney General Marc Brnovich said he is concerned with the amount of cases at ASU, and asked the university why campus facilities weren't closed sooner.

Students react

On Tuesday, some ASU freshman students were seen packing up their belongings from an on-campus student housing, two months before classes were supposed to wrap up.

"For safety. There's a lot of people here. The more people, the easier it is to spread a virus," said freshman Crystal Catalan. "Concerned now because I was living in this building, so if one person gets it, everyone gets it. So, I have a lot more concern, knowing that more people got it here."

"Scary, considering that it's such a close-knit campus and everyone is touching everything," said freshman Mya Lussier. "We share the same dining hall and [Memorial Union]. Everything is so close."

In a statement, ASU officials say residence halls will remain open, but they are strongly encouraging students whose circumstances permit to move out and relocate to either a family home or an environment that minimizes contact with others.

Most students FOX 10's Jennifer Martinez spoke with are either from the Valley or states near Arizona, but that's not the case for all students.

"One of my roommate is from Saudi Arabia, and she can't go home, even if she wanted to," said Lussier.

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