URI Suspends Study Abroad In China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

KINGSTON, RI — In light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the University of Rhode Island has made the decision to suspend all study abroad programs in China. Seven students studying in the region will be brought home, the university said in an announcement on Thursday.

"We know that the news about the coronavirus has raised concerns throughout our community, and we want to assure you that we have taken extensive steps to help the students return as quickly and safely as possible," university officials said in a statement. "We are pleased to report that all of those students are in the process of returning home. We are also happy to report that a URI faculty member and her family who were in China arrived safely in the U.S. Wednesday morning."

While none of the students were in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, the university determined it was most prudent to bring them all home. The final decision was made Tuesday, and all students had booked flights home by Wednesday afternoon. The students will be sent home to their families while the next steps of classes and internships are determined.

All of the students are in good health, the university said, adding that the final decision was made based on the school's Chinese Flagship Program partner and the U.S. State Department's decision to upgrade its travel advisory to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel." The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention has also upgraded its health alert warning to "Level 3: Avoid Nonessential Travel."

"In this time of uncertainty and fear, we remind everyone at URI that this is a community that supports and cares for each other," the statement continued. "We appeal to everyone to be understanding and sensitive to the various circumstances faced by our University family."