As Coronavirus spreads, SLU calls students home from Italy

CANTON, N.Y. (WWNY) - With more than a thousand cases of Coronavirus reported in Italy, St. Lawrence University disclosed Saturday night that it is calling home students studying in that country.

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In all, 15 students in three Italian locations - Rome, Sorrento and Cortona - are affected.

The Cortona program has been cancelled and “students are being assisted in their travel home,” according to a statement issued Saturday night by SLU’s Hagi Bradley, Vice President and Dean of Student Life and Karl Schonberg, Vice President of the University and Dean of Academic Affairs.

The University has advised that students in Sorrento and Rome also return to their homes in the United States.

No student has been confirmed to have contracted Coronavirus, according to the statement.

The decision by the university comes as the Trump administration has strongly urged U.S. citizens to reconsider travel plans to Italy.

There are a total of 188 SLU students studying abroad now, and with the exception of Italy, all the international programs are still operating.

“We will continue to carefully assess the situation in each off-campus location. In consultation with the Student Safe Travel Committee, CIIS (Center for International and Intercultural Studies) staff will make recommendations to the University Senior Staff about the wisdom of continuing other St. Lawrence off-campus trips, especially those planned for Spring Break, and will communicate directly with faculty leaders and student participants,” according to the statement.

“The health and safety of our students is our top concern, and we are monitoring updates from state, federal, and international health organizations daily. The risk to our campus community at this point is minimal; however, this could change quickly if the number of reported cases in the United States continues to rise,” again, from the statement.

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