Three UCLA students who are being tested for coronavirus will isolate themselves off-campus, the school said in a statement issued early Friday morning.
No cases of the fast-moving virus have been confirmed at UCLA, the statement continued. The school scheduled a meeting at 5 p.m. Monday to discuss COVID-19 and UCLA's response.
It was not immediately clear whether the students recently visited an outbreak area or whether they had contact with someone confirmed to have the virus.
"Understandably, some of you may be wondering about the status of classes and campus operations in general," chancellor Gene D. Block said in a statement. "We are actively monitoring and responding to the situation and will continue to follow the guidance of public health agencies. At this time, there have been no recommendations by (the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health) to suspend campus operations, including modifying class schedules.
"While situations like these often create uncertainty and concern, please be assured that the safety and well-being of the entire UCLA community remains our top priority, and we will continue to provide you with the most reliable and up-to-date information possible on UCLA’s COVID-19 website."
Students were advised to call the Ashe Center Infection Control Line at 310-206-6217 if they develop flu-like symptoms, which are similar to those of coronavirus. They include fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
The university updated travel restrictions Thursday, barring travel to all regions with Level 3 warnings, including mainland China, South Korea, Italy and Iran and discouraged nonessential international travel. The Nowruz celebration scheduled to take place on campus Sunday was cancelled Wednesday.
All meet-and-greet events with UCLA athletes were cancelled until further notice, but all games and matches would continue as scheduled, the university said Wednesday.
As the number of people worldwide infected with the new coronavirus approaches 100,000, President Donald Trump is expected to sign an $8.3 billion measure on Friday to help tackle the outbreak. The legislation would provide federal public health agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments and help state and local governments prepare for and respond to the threat.
The money would pay for a multifaceted attack on a virus that is spreading more widely every day, sending financial markets spiraling, disrupting travel and potentially threatening the U.S. economy's decade-long expansion. The plan would more than triple the $2.5 billion amount outlined by the White House 10 days ago.
