Two Miami University Students Tested for Coronavirus

Two students at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, were tested for the coronavirus after having recently returned from China and reporting flu-like symptoms.

Two Miami University students who recently traveled to China and apparently have flu-like symptoms are being tested for the coronavirus, and are isolated in an off-campus residence, according to a report by WCPO 9.

Butler County Health Commissioner Jenny Bailer said that university officials “isolated the students immediately and called us, and then, we did an investigation, interviewed the students and placed them in a home situation because they’re not sick enough to be hospitalized,” according to a report by WLWT 5.

“They knew exactly what to do,” added Bailer.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Director of Health for the Ohio Department of Health, Amy Acton said that an individual’s “travel history” is what is most important when taking into consideration whether someone may have the coronavirus.

“That is the key to our investigation,” said Acton.

“Normal precautions are really all we need to be taking right now — washing our hands, if you’re not feeling good, not going to work, not going to school,” she added. “Only with that travel history, or with a direct contact with someone who is under investigation [for coronavirus], are you truly at risk.”

Nonetheless, the public remains concerned, prompting the canceling of Miami’s Tuesday night men’s basketball game against Central Michigan University, as well as Wednesday night’s women’s basketball game against Western Michigan University.

It was the opposing teams that had decided to cancel the games, according to WLWT 5, which added that the universities plan on making up the games at a later date.

A spokesperson for Central Michigan said in a statement that the decision to postpone Tuesday’s game was made for “the health and safety of our student-athletes,” according to WCPO 9.

The report added that Health officials sent samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday, and that test results should return within a few days.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.