Novel coronavirus update: Jan. 31, 2020

January 31, 2020

Dear Campus Community,

Information on the 2019 novel coronavirus is rapidly changing. To keep the campus informed we wanted to provide an update on information relevant to our students and staff.

Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This will provide additional resources and support to China to continue to try to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

There has been a second case of 2019 novel coronavirus in Illinois. The second case is the spouse of the first case identified in Illinois. This was a known exposure to the first case that the Department of Public Health was monitoring. Although this is the first case of human-to-human transmission reported in the U.S., it does not change the current recommendations. This new case does NOT represent increased risk to the public at large.

There are no known cases of 2019 novel coronavirus on the UIC campus.

The key to preventing spread of the virus is early identification of potential infection. There has been ongoing spread of the virus in China. If you have traveled to China and are having fevers, cough, shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms contact your health care provider. Students can contact Student Health at University Village at 312-996-2901 for guidance. Employees should contact University Health Service at 312-996-7420 during business hours.

Additional resources are available at the University of Illinois Hospital 866-600-CARE (2273).

To assist with early identification of possible infection, the campus is reaching out to those students known to have traveled from China in the last 2 weeks to provide resources if they have questions or are symptomatic with respiratory illness.

We encourage anyone who has traveled to China and is having respiratory symptoms to contact a health care provider.

In addition, it is flu season. This is the highest risk to our campus community currently. We recommend anyone who is sick with any respiratory illness to stay home from work or classes and consider evaluation with their health care provider. People should wash their hands often for 20 seconds to help prevent the spread of viruses, including flu. It is not too late to get a flu shot.