Call for attention “the outbreak of novel coronavirus”

To All Students, Faculty Members, and Staff Members of Nagoya University

On December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. Infection spread by human-to-human transmission and international exportation occurred. On January 31, 2020, WHO declared global health emergency. These days, community-acquired infection is occurring in some parts of Japan.

Please do not go to Hubei Province (Warning-Level 3). Travel to China (area other than Hubei Province) should be also avoided unless absolutely necessary (Warning-Level 2).

If you come back from China and symptoms of acute respiratory infections (cough, fever, etc.) appear, please consult local public health center (If you live in Chikusa-ku, call 052-753-1982), put on a mask, and go to hospital as soon as possible. Even if you do not feel sick, please check your health condition by yourself, refrain from going out unless necessary, and keep contact with your parents, boss, and school office for 2 weeks after entry to Japan.

These days, community-acquired infection is occurring in some parts of Japan. If cough and fever continue for more than 3 days or you have feelings of severe fatigue or difficulty in breathing (even if you did not go to China or did not make contact with returnees from China), please consult local public health center or Health Administration Office. If you have a chronic disease, please consult your family doctor sooner. Detailed information is available in “Q & A on Coronavirus Disease 2019” by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan [Q & A on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) ]

If you have any questions (Which hospital to go to? etc.), please do not hesitate to call Health Administration Office (052-789-3970; Ext. 3970; hokekan@htc.nagoya-u.ac.jp; E-mail will be responded even at nights and on weekends) or local public health center (If you live in Chikusa-ku, call 052-753-1982 in the daytime and 052-241-3612 at nights and on weekends). Detailed information is available in the website of WHO, etc. Nagoya University’s policy response is available in the website (http://www.ehsp.nagoya-u.ac.jp/gakunai/coronavirus.html).

Please take daily preventive measures (good manners to cough, hand washing, avoiding crowds, etc.) similar to seasonal influenza. COVID-19 usually causes mild disease in young people but often causes severe disease in older people and people with chronic disease. Thus it is important to reduce the speed of infection spread in community and campus. If you have a cold or fever, please stay home and refrain from attending group activities or gatherings.