Information for faculty and staff about the novel coronavirus

Feb. 3, 2020

This message was sent by Medical Director, Cheryl Hug-English, MD, MPH to academic faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As news coverage of the Novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) continues, we wanted to update you on the latest information and the steps we are taking to keep our campus safe. The Student Health Center is working closely with the Washoe County Health District and we continue to monitor the situation closely and to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We want to reassure you that there are currently no known cases of the Novel coronavirus on our campus or in the state of Nevada and the CDC continues to believe that the risk of acquiring this virus in the United States is low.

However, due to the continued spread of this virus in China as well as some other nations, the United States government has taken additional steps to restrict travel to and from China. Here are the latest restrictions announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar that took effect at 5 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020.

• Foreign nationals who have traveled in China within the last 14 days, other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, are temporarily banned from entry into the United States.
• Americans returning from Hubei province of China will be allowed into the United States, but only at select ports of entry, and will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
• Americans returning from other parts of China will be allowed into the United States at select ports of entry and will be required to self-screen for signs of illness for 14 days after their return. These individuals are not required to be quarantined or to wear a mask unless there are signs of illness.

We are working closely with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and Student Services to ensure the health and safety of all students, faculty and staff.

While there is understandable anxiety about this new coronavirus, there have only been 11 documented cases of Novel coronavirus in the United States with no fatalities. In comparison, CDC reports over 19 million flu illness and 10,000 fatalities from the flu virus already this season. Simple health practices will health prevent these and other respiratory illnesses.

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze
• Clean and disinfect surfaces

We will continue to monitor this situation and our medical staff is staying up to date with guidelines and recommendations to help promote the health and safety of our campus.

Cheryl Hug-English MD, MPH
Medical Director
Student Health Center
(775) 784-6598
chugenglish@unr.edu