Thursday, March 28

Coronavirus not an immediate threat to campus, according to UCLA Health


A recent outbreak of coronavirus in China is not an immediate threat to the UCLA campus. However, cases of the cold and flu are on the rise, and university administrators recommend practicing preventative measures. (Daily Bruin file photo)


A recent outbreak of coronavirus is not an immediate threat to the UCLA campus, according to an email from UCLA Health on Thursday.

A particular form of coronavirus, the 2019 novel coronavirus, has led to 25 deaths in China since it emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. The first case of 2019-nCoV, as it is commonly referred to, appeared in the United States on Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the suspected first cases in the US was a student at Texas A&M University.

Coronaviruses are viruses that commonly infect the respiratory tract of animals. These viruses can occasionally be passed to humans and are usually associated with the common cold, pneumonia and severe acute respiratory syndrome, according to the CDC.

The virus has reached the US during peak flu season and shares many of the same symptoms, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

However, there are currently no known cases of 2019-nCoV on campus, and the health risk to people in North America is low, according to a CDC report.

According to the email from UCLA Health, students experiencing a cough and fever who have recently traveled to or are in contact with people from Wuhan should call the Ashe Center Infection Control Line at (310) 206-6217 immediately.

While 2019-nCoV is not present on campus, cases of the common cold and flu are rising, according to the email. They recommended that all students should practice preventative practices such as hand-washing, coughing and sneezing into one’s sleeves and staying up-to-date on immunizations and flu shots.

Follow all of our coronavirus coverage here

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