Southwestern College said an Ebola scare that caused a classroom building to be cordoned off Thursday morning turned out to be without merit and officials are reopening classrooms.

A student who reported to a faculty member that she had missed classes because her sister was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms after flying last week prompted the 470 building to be closed off for several hours.

College spokeswoman Lillian Leopold said the student was not exhibiting flu-like symptoms and was thoroughly examined by a college nurse.

Leopold said the classroom was cordoned off in "an abundance of caution" after the student told a faculty member she had flown to the Midwest last week and that her sister was in the hospital.

"Our campus nurse has thoroughly examined the student and there's no expectation of Ebola," Leopold said.

Students reported that they had been told by security officers they could not leave the campus and were being kept together in small groups outside the closed classrooms.

"We are detained," said Vinnie Avia-Walker, 25. "We are within a 20-feet area between the person who is sick and then an officer who is telling us not to leave."

Leopold said that everyone was removed from the building but that no one was under quarantine. She said college officials were trying to determine whether they were going to cancel afternoon classes in the building or have them go on as scheduled.

"Southwestern College is OK. We acted as fast as we could," Southwestern College Police Chief Michael Cash said in a televised news conference shortly before noon.

College officials initially said the county Health Department had been notified as a precaution and health officials were on their way to assess the situation. However, she later said that information was inaccurate and health officials did not go to the campus.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/16/southwestern-college-ebola-student-closed/