As coronavirus fears grow, Duke closes off China campus, NC universities take precautions
Triangle universities are closely monitoring the worldwide coronavirus outbreak and working to keep students and faculty safe on campus as the deadly virus spreads.
On Saturday Duke announced that Duke Kunshan University in China has postponed all classes until Feb. 17 in response to concern over the outbreak overseas.
“We will also be restricting access to our campus to essential personnel only,” the university said in a statement. “All other members of the Duke Kunshan community — students, faculty who do not reside on campus, and staff — and outside visitors will not be permitted to enter before Saturday Feb. 15.”
“Students who remained on campus over the Spring Festival break are required to stay on campus until Feb. 15 or make alternative arrangements,” it continued. “We will continue to provide students on campus with resources, services and support, including dining and cleaning services. We are also closely monitoring their well-being, offering health checks, physiological counseling and emotional support, and distributing surgical masks.”
The announcement about Duke’s China campus came after news Friday that a patient at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina was being treated for a possible coronavirus infection. The patient had arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on a flight from New York but had also been in China recently.
Saturday, CDC results showed the North Carolina patient does not have the virus.
The virus has killed at least 26 people in China and infected hundreds more worldwide, including two confirmed cases in the United States.
Duke, N.C. State and UNC-Chapel Hill have large international student populations, as well as students and faculty who travel abroad. Each campus is communicating with students about symptoms and prevention methods. The schools say they have drawn up plans to address the outbreak if someone is infected.
Dr. Julie Casani, the medical director of Student Health Services at N.C. State, said students and faculty are reaching out with questions because they’re scared of getting infected and want to know what to look for in their classrooms. She said the concern is growing as the virus spreads to more countries.
“If you don’t feel well get medical care, but make sure you tell people that you’ve traveled to that area because that could make a big difference,” Casani said. “If you’re going to come to student health, call us first so we’re ready for you.”
How are NC universities handling the corona virus outbreak?
Duke University told its Durham campus community that university officials and infectious disease specialists are monitoring the situation closely. The school sent out a campus-wide email advising anyone who has returned from China within the past 14 days and is sick to get medical care immediately. They should also call ahead to the doctor’s office to tell them about their recent travel and symptoms.
Chinese visitors with these symptoms should also seek medical care and tell their hosts, the university said.
Duke is not restricting travel to or from China or other international areas based on the illness, but strongly discourages travel to the Chinese cities of Huanggang, Ezhou and Wuhan until the situation stabilizes, the letter said.
Late Friday afternoon, UNC sent a message to the Chapel Hill campus saying that it isn’t restricting travel to or from China or other nations. “However, based on CDC guidance, the University encourages faculty, staff and students to avoid all nonessential travel to Wuhan, China, until the situation stabilizes,” the message said.
N.C. State has reached out to its academic programs that may have had travelers to China for study abroad programs, faculty going overseas and students who might be coming back from the affected area or plan to go.
Casani said the university has not identified anyone who’s in the concentrated part of China or who recently traveled there and might be at risk.
“We’ve been working with state and local health officials to get information to make sure we’re on top of this,” Casani said.
Supporting Chinese students
Right now, N.C. State is working to keep first responders and the campus community informed with updates on the outbreak, advice on how to avoid getting infected and what to do if they are experiencing symptoms of the virus.
Casani said if someone walks into the health center with coronavirus symptoms, medical officials will isolate them rapidly, contact the health department and transfer them to the proper healthcare facility for treatment.
In addition to addressing students’ health concerns, the university is also helping to support students who are from that area of China and have family there who may be impacted, Casani said.
N.C. State’s emergency management group is also communicating with the UNC System and other local universities.
University settings are particularly vulnerable because of the dense population on campuses, said Dr. Rachel Roper, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine. Places like schools, day cares, airports and amusement parks are also at risk.
“The more people you’re around, the more likely you are to be exposed to the virus,” Roper said.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 2:19 PM.
