Coronavirus Update for Mar. 4, 2020

NC State Students, Faculty and Staff,

As NC State nears spring break, Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout the world and in parts of the United States. As of yesterday, we learned of a confirmed case in Wake County; the individual tested positive after returning from travel to Washington State and has no known connections to campus.

As concern grows about COVID-19, this is not a time for panic, but it is the time for preparation, careful consideration and making well-informed decisions.

If you are considering international travel next week or anytime in the near future for personal reasons, we strongly encourage you to closely monitor CDC travel advisories. In recent weeks and days, the CDC has issued or raised COVID-19 travel advisory levels, and various guidance and alerts, for several locations across the globe including China, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Hong Kong.

Depending on your travel destination, you may want to consider adjusting or even cancelling plans to ensure your own health and safety, and your timely return to Raleigh. In a variety of countries, there could be new entry and exit control measures, and potentially even quarantines implemented with little notice as the disease spreads.

As a reminder, as of Feb. 28, NC State prohibited university-related travel to CDC-designated Level 2 and Level 3 countries for COVID-19 and will not reimburse travel to these areas.

If you are traveling somewhere closer to home over the break, or not traveling at all, you are still encouraged to continue exercising precautions to prevent the spread of viral illnesses: practice good hand hygiene; do not share food, drinks, etc.; avoid close contact with others if you feel sick; and cover your cough or sneeze. If you are feeling ill, please consider seeking healthcare.

Updated campus information on COVID-19, including frequently asked questions; specific information from the offices of study abroad and international services; links to the CDC and WHO; and additional resources is available at www.ncsu.edu/coronavirus. Please check this site regularly as updates and additional information and resources will be added as available.

The situation is rapidly changing, and we understand that it may be stressful for many in our community. Please take care of yourselves and each other – that’s what it means to be a part of the Pack.

Thank you,

Warwick Arden, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Charles Maimone, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration