Exeter uni cancels Chinese New Year celebrations out of respect for Chinese community

The University of Exeter has made the decision to cancel their Chinese New Year celebrations, out of respect for the Chinese community and ongoing public concern about coronavirus.

The celebration was planned for Sunday 2nd February but news of the cancellation was sent to students today, in an email that also included an update from Public Health England.

In the email, the University offered their full support to the Chinese community and thanked those who had been involved in planning the event.

The email read:

"We have been discussing the Chinese New Year celebrations with our student community and together we have decided not to go ahead with the events in Exeter this Sunday, 2 February.

"We have taken the decision out of respect for the Chinese community locally, nationally and internationally where other celebrations have been cancelled or disrupted with ongoing public concerns about coronavirus."

"We want to thank everyone who has been involved in planning for the event, and especially the Chinese Student Scholars and the Chinese Cultural Society, as well as those who were scheduled to perform at the event.

"We offer our full support to our Chinese community at this time."

This news comes after the confirmation that two people in the UK have been tested positive for coronavirus and are reported to have been Chinese tourists staying at a hotel in York.

In an earlier statement, the University of Exeter had denied a rumour that a student had contracted coronavirus after travelling back from Wuhan city.

A senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter's College of Medicine and Health, Dr Pankhania, also commented on the coronavirus outbreak.

He said that it should be a cause for concern but not worry or panic for people in the South West and urged people to keep good hygiene in order to reduce the spread of person-to-person infection.

Featured image credit: SWNS

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