Ohio University has launched a health alerts page, which aims to educate students, staff and faculty members about human coronavirus.
People who have recently traveled to China or have been around someone who has the novel coronavirus are more likely to get the virus. People are encouraged to call ahead to hospitals for examinations, such as OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital.
The coronavirus’ name is 2019 novel coronavirus, which is a new coronavirus that has not yet been discovered.
Miami University has two students who live off-campus and have been tested for the novel coronavirus. However, there have been no confirmed cases in Butler County, according to a Miami news release.
Both students had recently traveled to China.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a level-three warning, which is the strongest warning from the CDC to avoid all nonessential travel to all of China.
There are four states with confirmed cases of novel coronavirus: Washington, California, Arizona and Illinois. There are, however, 26 states that have patients under investigation, according to the CDC.
The CDC believes that symptoms like shortness of breath, fever and coughing can come as soon as two days after being infected or as long as 14 days after.
There is no vaccine for any human coronavirus, and while the CDC reported that carriers without symptoms can be transmitters, people are usually contaminated by infected people coughing and sneezing.
It is not yet known how easily the novel coronavirus spreads from person to person, according to an OU news release. There have been over 4,500 people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. There have also been over 100 deaths as well as several confirmed cases in the U.S.
OU is working with medical professionals, the Athens City-County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health, according to an OU news release from Jason Pina, vice president for student affairs and Kenneth Johnson, chief medical affairs officer.
Human coronaviruses are common, and most people will get infected with at least one of them in their lifetimes, according to an OU press release. They usually cause common colds. Most people who are affected by it recover on their own.
There are more severe coronaviruses, like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which have been known to cause severe illnesses and death, according to the news release. There have not been any reported cases of SARS since 2004.
The CDC recommends that people:
- Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover their cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
