Rowan Students Return From Italy Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

GLASSBORO, NJ — Five Rowan University students who were studying abroad in Italy have returned home and a sixth is expected home later this week amid fears related to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a university spokesperson.

Seven students were studying in Italy as part of a partnership with a third party provider, according to University spokesman Joe Cardona. When the program shut down, six of them chose to return home, while the seventh opted to stay for personal reasons. All will be given the chance to make up the credits they lost through online courses.

Rowan has 20 students studying internationally, but only the students studying in Italy will be coming home, Cardona said. There have been at least 79 deaths related to coronavirus in Italy, which is considering closing schools and universities across the country, according to CNN. The nation has also banned fans from all sporting events for one month. More than 2,500 people in the country have been infected with the disease.

Because the university works through a third-party provider, Rowan can’t force their students to come home, Cardona said. However, it can recommend that they self-quarantine and follow the CDC guidelines to check their health. No students are being tested for the disease.

If a student studying abroad has their program shut down, the university will refund the cost of their airplane tickets. If students decide they want to come home on their own, the university assesses the danger they are in, including whether they are in a high-risk area, Cardona said.

The university previously announced it is no longer accepting applications for university-related international travel through May 31. Read more here: Rowan University Prohibits Some Travel Amid Coronavirus Fears

New Jersey health officials also issued a long list of coronavirus outbreak guidelines for the state’s schools and colleges this week. Read more here: NJ Issues New Coronavirus Guidelines For Schools, Colleges

On Wednesday night, Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed the first presumptive case of coronavirus in New Jersey. A man in his 30s has been hospitalized in Bergen County since Tuesday. Read more here: First Presumptive Case Of Coronavirus In NJ: Governor