CAMBRIDGE, MA – MAY 30: Harvard President Lawrence Bacow is seen at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association at Harvard’s 368th annual Commencement at Harvard University on May 30, 2019 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
Harvard University President Larry Bacow has tested positive for coronavirus.
Bacow published a statement on Tuesday saying that he and his wife Adele tested positive on Monday after experiencing symptoms on Sunday.
"We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home. I am blessed with a great team, and many of my colleagues will be taking on more responsibility over the next few weeks as Adele and I focus on just getting healthy," Bacow wote.
Bacow and his wife began working from home and limiting contact with others on March 14, according to the statement.
The university president says it is currently unclear how he and his wife contracted the virus.
"Your swift actions over the past few weeks—to respond to the needs of our community, to fulfill our teaching mission, and to pursue research that will save lives—have moved me deeply and made me extraordinarily grateful and proud," wrote Bacow. "I hope to see as few of you in our situation as possible, and I urge you to continue following the guidance of public health experts and the advice and orders of our government officials."
The prestigious university announced its first case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, on March 13, days after announcing that it was moving all classes online. Last week, the Ivy League school said it was postponing commencement.
