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Health Services monitoring the spread of coronavirus

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There are no reported cases of coronavirus in Onondaga County at this time.

Syracuse University is monitoring the spread of the newly-discovered coronavirus, the university announced Saturday.

Coronavirus, a respiratory disease, was first identified in Wuhan City, China. The disease spreads through saliva and triggers pneumonia-like symptoms, including shortness of breath, fever, and coughing, according to an SU News release.

There are two confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and several suspected cases in New York state awaiting laboratory confirmation, SU Medical Director Karen Nardella said in the release. There are no reported cases in Onondaga County at this time, she said.

Only individuals who have visited Wuhan City within the past two weeks or have come in contact with someone who has are susceptible to the disease, Nardella said.

Medical personnel at the Barnes Center at the Arch are communicating with the Onondaga County Health Department and the New York State Department of Health to assess the situation, Nardella said.



The Barnes Center recommends students frequently wash their hands, avoid close contact with sick people and stay home from class while sick to protect themselves from the disease. Nardella urged any students who have traveled to Wuhan recently or are displaying symptoms of the virus to contact the Barnes Center immediately.





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