UI responds to Coronavirus outbreak, cancels study abroad programs for China, South Korea

Lang
2/29/20

University of Iowa officials say they are closely monitoring reports and recommendations from national and regional health departments regarding the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.

A news release from the school indicates UI Study Abroad programs in China (for Spring 2020 and Summer 2020) and South Korea (for Spring 2020) have been canceled. No decisions have yet been made about cancellation of UI Study Abroad programs in South Korea for Summer 2020.

School officials say they’re taking safety precautions to detect and treat any potential case of the virus on campus by following the latest guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

The news release stresses that there are no confirmed cases in Iowa at this time. Currently, the risk for COVID-19 is associated with recent travel to China or another impacted area, not race or country of origin. Though additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the U.S., for the general public, who are unlikely to be exposed to the virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is low.

The UI has set up a web site to post updates on the virus and how it may affect the campus community. A link to that page can be found at studenthealth.uiowa.edu.