Following Wednesday’s confirmation of Mississippi’s first COVID-19 case, colleges and universities are extending spring break an extra week.

Classes will resume on Monday, March 23, and will be taught online and via other methods.

The Mississippi Association of Community College Commission, which is made up of the state’s 15 community college presidents, suspended all community college activities, including athletic practices and competition, through March 30, according to a news release.

East Mississippi Community College asked that all residential students refrain from returning to campus until further notice, as the school is sterilizing its facilities.

“We are limiting all non-essential gatherings of more than 25 people in hopes of minimizing the time spent in proximity to one another in confined spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings,” EMCC president Scott Alsobrooks said in a news release. “As a result, all campus activities and events are canceled until further notice. We will coordinate with local media partners to communicate about public-facing events.”

Mississippi State University suspended all university-sponsored events and gatherings, including events sponsored by any registered student organization, through March 23. With no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the university community, MSU will remain open March 16-22 for faculty and staff.

Residence halls and dining facilities will be open for students who need to return to or remain on campus. Students with the option of remaining at home until in-person classes resume may do so.

University of Mississippi students are expected to stay away from campus and participate in classes from home. Faculty members will make decisions about the best means of course delivery in light of the nature of the course.

At USM in Hattiesburg, the school’s offices and all student services will remain open, including residence halls, dining services, libraries, campus recreation, student health services, student counseling services, and other student services. Events sponsored by USM or hosted in USM facilities, where 50 or more attendees are expected, are canceled, the school said.

Mississippi Valley State University will not hold any large gathering or meetings on campus.

For MVSU students who reside on campus, school officials have asked that they only return to their residence hall if there are “compelling, extenuating circumstances” that make it absolutely necessary to remain on campus.

The first case of COVID-19 in the state was confirmed on Wednesday as a 49-year-old Forrest County man who had had traveled out of the state.