U of S provides information to students on coronavirus

More coronavirus cases in Canada From CTV Saskatoon’s Carla Shynkaruk: The province’s chief medical health officer addressed concerns about the virus on Thursday.

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan's Chief Health Medical Officer says they have received 50 calls from people concerned they might have coronavirus.

Of those, 13 have travelled from China to Saskatchewan and were tested. Six of those were confirmed to not have the virus, but seven are still pending.

Meanwhile at the University of Saskatchewan, students were sent a letter from with Information about the virus and that the U of S has protocols in place if they need to use them. They assure students at this time that there is no risk.

First year business student Petar Janeski is concerned about being in close quarters in classrooms and hallways with so many people.

“I was actually really panicked and freaked out even before we got the letter. I was watching the headlines and the coronavirus was trending. It made me scared to go to class or take the bus.”

Medical Anthropologist at the U of S, Pamela Downe says, universities have a lot of human to human contact, but the basic rules apply.

“Washing your hands, please stay home of you're sick. Those are the things that will really minimize human to human transmission of this kind of virus.”

She says, the university put infectious disease protocol in place in 2009 with the H1N1 epidemic.

As for Janeski, he thinks his fears are justified since he has never seen a global virus like this in his adult life.

“I don't remember anything like this that has happened in my lifetime so far. I remember the bird flu when I was a kid, but that’s it.”