UoN keeps students away from Chinese campus for extra week amid coronavirus scare

Nottingham's Ningbo campus has extended their next semester to begin a week later on 24th February in response to the encroaching Wuhan coronavirus crippling China.

A request was made by officials at Zhejiang province's education department to the campus authority in an effort to quash the spread of the virus.

All people and vehicles entering the campus will be required to register with campus security and have their temeperature measured. A university spokesman stated that the campus will be disinfected regularly as well.

The move comes after the virus has led to the deaths of 106 and number of infected to more than 4,500 in China, Thailand, Australia, and the US.

The Ningbo campus boasts 7,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students and more than 600 teaching and administrative staff. It is understood that the arrival dates for incoming international students has been postponed to 20th February.

The University has extended the Chinese lunar New Year holiday as an act of prevention to infection of those attending and work at the campus.

An advice article posted on the Universities website in both English and Mandarin Chinese has informed students due to study in the Ningbo campus of their "options to continue their studies in the UK for the time being."

"Students who have travelled – or who are due to travel – to or from Ningbo or other parts of China as part of their study programmes have been contacted with advice and support"

Students and staff at the Ningbo campus, 3 hours from Shanghai, have been advised to practice hand respiratory hygiene. Those who have recently travelled within Wuhan and Hubei province will be medically screened by health professionals.

Signs of the viral infection can include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. The incubation period of the coronavirus remains unknown.

Public Health England instructed those who have travelled in or out of Wuhan or one of the affected areas and have developed a fever, have difficulty breathing or a cough within 14 days to seek immediate medical attention.

"In the UK, please stay indoors and avoid contact with others where possible, call the NHS helpline on 111 or contact your GP informing them of your symptoms and your recent travel to the city," the guidance read.

In a statement, a university spokesman said: "All students and staff are being asked to cooperate with the University departments on the implementation of prevention and control work.

"Anyone who has fever, cough and difficulty in breathing are not encouraged to come back to the campus before recovery.

"All external visits will not be accepted until the University receives further notice from local government. All group activities will be cancelled.

"The University will temporarily implement the campus access control from January 29, with Gate 1 and 4 opened only.