Scottish universities monitoring coronavirus outbreak

Two Scottish universities say they’re monitoring the coronavirus outbreak - Aberdeen and Dundee both have partnerships with Wuhan University.

The University of Aberdeen said it was not aware of any students in Wuhan - where the outbreak is thought to have originated - who have returned from the area recently.

But a spokesman said: “The university is aware of five members of staff who have visited Wuhan during the outbreak, four of whom returned to the university three or more weeks ago.

“The remaining member of staff has a non-teaching role and is working from home as a precautionary measure.

“Advice regarding travel precautions has been issued to staff and students in line with Government guidance.”

Meanwhile, Dundee University has also issued advice to students recently in China.

They’ve said they should be careful if receiving items, especially food, from areas where the virus is present.

The university runs a joint education partnership with Wuhan University, with 34 students on the programme in Dundee who arrived in September.

Five staff returned from a visit to Wuhan last week, a spokesman said.

He said no health concerns have been raised among either group, adding:

“We will continue to monitor the situation, taking advice from the relevant agencies as to appropriate action.”

Elsewhere in the UK, the University of Chester said it has notified its students currently in the UK that if they return to China for Chinese New Year they will not be readmitted without a suitable quarantine period.

A Newcastle University spokesman said it had issued protection advice to around 300 students who have links to the Hubei province at the centre of the health scare, as well as offering support for those concerned.

A spokesman said: “We have arranged a dedicated health event for any student arriving from China in the last month, ensuring they register with a doctor.”

Universities have followed Foreign Office advice warning people not to travel to the region affected.

Vice-chancellors' group Universities UK said: “Ensuring the safety and welfare of their students is a top priority for universities.

“UK universities have been monitoring the coronavirus situation as it unfolds and universities with students in affected areas are working to identify appropriate actions.

“Universities will continue to follow the latest FCO advice and to monitor the situation, which is evolving rapidly.”

A spokesman for the University of Nottingham, which has a campus in the Chinese city of Ningbo, said: “We are not aware of any staff or students in the affected areas in China.

“However, the university is keeping students informed of the latest advice by UK and Chinese health authorities, including precautionary measures such as good hand and respiratory hygiene.”

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