The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the nation’s second case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019 nCoV) has been reported in Illinois.
One other patient in the U.S., in Washington state, is confirmed to have contracted this virus. Although a Texas A&M student reportedly has been undergoing tests to determine if he has contracted the virus, at this time there have been no confirmed cases in our state.
We want everyone in the Rice community to know that there have been no confirmed or even suspected cases of this virus on our campus. The symptoms for this virus are similar to influenza, which is common at this time of year and is not the same as the Novel Coronavirus. Nonetheless, we’ve taken the following precautions:
*Communicated with our health care providers and established a surveillance and response process
*Implemented additional cleaning protocols in living and eating areas on campus
*Provided guidance to groups planning international travel in what might be high risk areas
The CDC considers the immediate health threat to the general public from this virus to be low. Nonetheless, as a precaution, we urge anyone who has traveled to China in the last two weeks to watch out for symptoms such as fever, coughing or trouble breathing. If you develop these symptoms and you’ve recently traveled to China, please seek medical treatment.
If you’re a student, contact Student Health Services. If you’re an employee of the university, before you see a doctor or go to an emergency room, call ahead to report your symptoms and say whether you’ve recently traveled to China.
We’re closely monitoring news about this virus. We’ll provide updates as important information develops. More information is available at the following links: