IU suspended travel to China Friday for students, faculty and staff after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency, according to an IU public safety advisory.
In an email from the Office of Public Safety and Institutional Assurance, the university said its travel suspension followed advisories from both the U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid travel to China. According to the email, the travel suspension will be reconsidered when the advisories are changed.
IU will make exceptions for people traveling to China to help with the response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to the email. Faculty or staff returning from China should contact Benjamin Hunter, the associate vice president of public safety and institutional assurance at avppsia@iu.edu when they return. Requests for exceptions can be sent to the same email.
There are no known cases of coronavirus at IU, according to the email. Test results from a potential case of coronavirus in Indiana's northern Porter County returned negative, according to a Friday statement from the Porter County Health Department.
According to the CDC, the immediate health risk of coronavirus is low in the U.S. The coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China. The virus has killed more than 200 people, and about 9,800 infections have been confirmed, according to the New York Times.
People with a fever, cough and shortness of breath should contact their primary health care provider or the campus health center if they have traveled to Wuhan or if they were in close contact within the last 14 days with someone who is being monitored for coronavirus or who has a confirmed case, according to the email.
Common influenza remains the largest health concern on campus, according to the email. The Office of Public Safety & Institutional Assurance offered tips to help prevent the spread of illnesses.
The tips include staying away from sick people, staying away from others if sick, washing hands often with soap and water, covering coughs and sneezes, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, getting flu shots annually and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces frequently.
