UW-Platteville officials announced Sunday that Pioneer Pete has been officially diagnosed with COVID-19.

The statement, sent out in a campus-wide email, stated that Pete began feeling ill last Tuesday evening. By Saturday afternoon, Pete was unable to get out of bed without feeling winded.

After developing a severe headache and experiencing shortness of breath, Pete reportedly checked himself into SouthWest Health Saturday night to seek medical advice.

Friends and loved ones were left wondering how this could have happened, after campus suspended all university events almost three weeks ago, leaving Pete with few opportunities to catch the virus.

“I thought he was safe. I mean, we all did,” said junior criminal justice major Everett Weberg.

Weberg, who works on campus as a university resource officer, said he has run into Pete several times throughout his time as a URO.

“He called the Safe Walk number and requested to be walked home a couple of months ago. We had a great chat as we walked, he seemed like a pretty responsible guy,” Weberg recounted. “Now I’m wondering how he got himself into this mess.”

Pete has reportedly been put in quarantine and has been receiving medical treatment and round-the-clock care.

Meanwhile, the town has been left wondering how his diagnosis will affect the community, as it is unclear how many people Pete had contact with in the past two weeks. Health officials urge anyone who believes they have had direct contact to self-isolate for at least fourteen days.

Any updates about Pete’s condition will be announced as they become available. At this time, there is no known immediate threat to the community, but university and town officials continue to urge everyone to stay home and practice social distancing.