BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University is restricting travel to China after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.
IU implemented the restriction for all faculty, staff, and students with the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. State Department, according to a public safety advisory issued Friday.
Those who will travel to China to assist with pandemic response will need to submit an exception request to IU's associate vice president of public safety and institutional assurance, according to the advisory.
There are no known cases of the virus in the IU community, according to the advisory.
A possible case of the virus in Porter County came back negative, according to the county's health department.
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Those who have traveled to Wuhan, Hubei Province, or China or have been in close contact with someone who possibly has the virus is asked to contact their health provider or the IU campus health center, according to the advisory.
IU provided the following tips in the advisory to help prevent the spread of illnesses:
- Stay away from ill people and stay away from others if you are ill
- Wash your hands often with soap and water
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow or tissue
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Use single use tissue and dispose immediately
- Do not share drinks, food or utensils
- Get good sleep and drink plenty of water
- Get an annual flu (influenza) shot through your primary care provider, local minute clinic or campus health center
- Clean and disinfect common touch surfaces frequently
- Avoid large or crowded events if you feel sick
The common influenza is still the largest health concern at IU, according to the advisory.
In China, at least 9,700 people have been diagnosed with virus and 217 people have died.
So far, six cases of the virus have been confirmed in the U.S. and almost 200 possible cases are under investigation, according to the CDC.
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