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Despite growing coronavirus concerns, Louisville-area schools are still expecting students to be able to travel overseas for class trips and study-abroad summers as planned. 

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None of the private schools and districts in Louisville and Southern Indiana contacted by The Courier Journal has canceled any student trips, but all say they are keeping an eye on the coronavirus as they finalize plans. 

So far, the World Health Organization hasn't implemented any travel restrictions. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose guidelines multiple school districts are following, has recommended only against travel to mainland China.

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Many schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville sponsor trips abroad in the summer, spokeswoman Cecelia Price said. 

"As always, school leaders will monitor conditions related to the coronavirus and other possible issues and will cancel and adjust trips if necessary," she added. 

“Again this summer, Trinity has several study-abroad trips," said Rob Mullen, Trinity High School's president. "We will assess the safety of such travel during the next few months."

Beshear: State monitoring 100 Kentuckians for signs of coronavirus

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One of the school's planned trips is a group of students heading to Japan — one area being watched for the spread of the virus, with more than 220 confirmed cases.

A group of Clarksville, Indiana, students is still planning to retrace events of World War II in a June trip to England, France, Germany and Austria. 

"(The teacher) is monitoring the situation carefully, but there have been no changes to plans at this time," said Erin Walden, a Clarksville Community Schools spokeswoman. 

Clarksville's trip is organized through EF Tours, a student travel agency that runs school tours and trips abroad. 

"Please rest assured that we will not send groups to destinations that are deemed unsafe by the ... government authorities," EF Tours said on its website. In some situations, it will "extend beyond those recommendations." 

EF Tours followed recommendations to avoid traveling to mainland China, moving school trips scheduled to go there until the end of May, according to the company's website.

As hundreds of cases began popping up in northern Italy, EF Tours began rerouting groups scheduled to travel through the affected areas through the end of March. 

More coverage: Louisville hospitals screening for virus, preparing for quarantines

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Jefferson County Public Schools, the area's largest district, hasn't taken a position on overseas trips yet, spokesman Mark Hebert said. 

"We're unaware of any school or group delaying or changing travel plans," he said. 

State officials have monitored over 100 Kentuckians who have recently been to China for the coronavirus, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

Of those, only one person was tested for the disease and was found not to be carrying the virus. Kentucky has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

State and local health departments are encouraging people who have recently returned from China to self-monitor for the disease, and local hospitals are preparing for its potential spread. 

See also: Pence takes on virus after he 'dropped the ball' in a town riddled with HIV

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com or 502-582-4471, and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth. Support strong local journalism by subscribing: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Courier Journal: Despite coronavirus fears, Louisville-area school trips abroad are scheduled to go on

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