As communicated on January 24, 2020, China is currently experiencing an outbreak of a respiratory infection that is caused by a novel coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV. Originally emerging in the city of Wuhan in the Hubei Province of China, the virus has now been documented in every province in China and in cities across the globe, including five cases in the United States.
In response to this outbreak, the U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory for China that includes a regional Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Hubei Province. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Warning – Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel advisory for China.
In accordance with the advisories above and other available information, nonessential University-affiliated travel to China is not permitted at this time. Essential travelers must contact Andrew Hunt, global operations specialist, to initiate further review and approval. He can be reached at Andrew.Hunt@unc.edu.
For more campus updates and resources, please visit the UNC-Chapel Hill Environment, Health and Safety 2019-nCoV website. University officials continue to monitor the situation and will provide additional updates if recommendations change or if other circumstances warrant it.
As a reminder, students, faculty, staff, and other affiliates are required to register all University-related travel abroad in the UNC Global Travel Registry and must enroll in the University-subscribed international health, evacuation, and repatriation insurance coverage by contacting the Office of Risk Management Services at 919-962-6681 or risk@unc.edu.