NORTHAMPTON — As the number of infections from a new coronavirus continues to grow in China and beyond, institutions worldwide are taking precautionary measures. The latest to react “out of an abundance of caution” is Smith College.
In an email to campus Sunday night, Smith officials said that a student believes it was possible — though unconfirmed — that she was on the same flight as a college student in eastern Massachusetts who later tested positive for the respiratory virus. Because the Smith student also said she had “cold-like symptoms,” the college contacted the state Department of Public Health to discuss protocols put out by the Centers for Disease Control. The student is now in isolation.
“At this time, neither the DPH nor CDC has indicated that the Smith student — or any member of our community — is at risk of exposure or transmission of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus,” Julianne Ohotnicky, dean of students, and Kris Evans, interim director of the college’s health and wellness center, wrote in the email.
Ohotnicky and Evans said that the student will follow standard flu treatment guidelines and remain in isolation, in accordance with DPH and CDC guidance.
“Medical staff will stay in close contact with the student to ensure she receives the care and support that adheres to public health guidelines,” they wrote.
The school administrators went on to say that, while there currently is no evidence of a threat to the Smith community, they sent the email to fully inform the campus and to address rumors or speculation.
A University of Massachusetts Boston student was the first person to be diagnosed with the virus in the state after returning last week from Wuhan, China — the epicenter of the outbreak. The new coronavirus first identified in Wuhan has infected 17,205 in China as of Sunday, according to the country’s Health Commission. Some 475 people have recovered and 361 have died in China.
In a message to campus Saturday, UMass Boston Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said that state and city public health authorities informed the college that members of the campus community were at low risk of exposure. For that reason, the campus has continued business as usual, Newman added.
“CDC does not currently recommend the use of face masks among the general public,” the federal public health agency’s recommendations say. “While limited person-to-person spread among close contacts has been detected, this virus is not currently spreading in the community in the United States.”
The CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to halt the spread of respiratory viruses, such as washing hands with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer; not touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; staying at home if you are sick; covering coughs or sneezes; and frequently disinfecting touched objects and surfaces.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.