VICTORIA -- Island Health is warning participants of several University of Victoria (UVIC) classes and attendees of scheduled events at Saanich Commonwealth Place of possible exposure to COVID-19 on March 12 and 15.

According to Island Health, students who attended three UVic classes on March 12 may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. The classes are:

  • Psych 300B A01, beginning at 11 a.m.
  • Psych 351B A01, beginning at 1 p.m.
  • Biol 367 A01, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The university confirmed Thursday that one of its female students had tested positive for COVID-19. CTV News has learned it was a female student.

In a news release, UVic president Jamie Cassels said the "upper-level student" lives off campus and notified the university that she had tested positive late Wednesday afternoon. The student is recovering at home and "is well supported by (her) family" Cassels said.

"With a campus population of nearly 30,000 people and as the number of cases in B.C. continues to grow, it was not unexpected that at some point a member of our community would contract the virus," the university president said.

Meanwhile, Island Health is alerting people who attended the swimming pool at Saanich Commonwealth Place on March 12 between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. of possible coronavirus exposure.

Likewise, anyone who attended a kickboxing class at the recreation centre on March 15 between 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. is being warned of potential exposure to COVID-19.

While the health organization issued this alert, officials say that the risk of contracting COVID-19 for people who were in these areas is low.

“An Island Heath Medical Health Officer has completed a risk assessment and concluded that the risk was low to people who attended the locations above (please note that other recreational facilities at Saanich Commonwealth Place are not impacted),” said Island Health in a release Thursday.

“Any possible exposures were restricted to the March 12 and March 15 incidents noted above.”

Anyone who was in any of these areas at these times is asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, including:

  • Coughing
  • Sneezing
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty breathing

Anyone who experiences these symptoms should self-isolate for 14 days after symptoms begin appearing.

Island Health also recommends that people try B.C.'s online COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool if they are feeling unwell, to see if they need any further testing for coronavirus.