AMES — Iowa State University is prohibiting students and staff from traveling to China in the wake of a virus that has claimed 56 lives as of Sunday.
A letter from President Wendy Wintersteen notes that the university is “monitoring the situation” around the coronavirus.
“To limit any potential risk, Iowa State is prohibiting student and employee business travel to China, until travel is deemed safe. This decision is in accordance with advisories from the CDC and the U.S. Department of State urging travelers to reconsider travel to China due to the coronavirus.”
Jan. 28, 2020 letter to the ISU community from President Wendy Wintersteen
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the immediate risk of contracting the virus to be low, according to the letter.
Only five people in the United States have contracted the virus, but none of those are in Iowa.
If you’re an ISU student or staff member that has recently traveled to China or plans to go this spring, contact the Office of Risk Management at 515-294-7711 for more information.
