In December 2019, the confirmed cases of the new viral pneumonia associated with the novel coronavirus were reported in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China, and since then there have been an ongoing report of the confirmed cases with the new coronavirus in the rest of the world. On 28th January 2020, the Japanese government listed this viral pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus as a “designated infectious disease”, which came into effect and implemented on 1st February. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the circumstances regarding the outbreak of the new viral pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus to be “a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”.

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) issued “Infectious Disease Warning Information Level 3 (Avoid All Travel)” to Hubei Province on 24th January 2020, urging the Japanese nationals concerned to avoid all travel to Hubei Province; it also issued “Infectious Disease Warning Information Level 2 (Avoid Non-essential Travel)” to the rest of the regions in China on 31st January 2020, advising the Japanese nationals to avoid non-essential travel to the regions concerned.

What follows is a summary of the current measures and policies at Hiroshima University regarding how to deal with the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Please make sure to check the latest information from the university as the situation concerning the prevalence of the coronavirus infections may change significantly with time.

Hiroshima University takes the following stance on each of the following alert level set by MOFA:

*Level 2 (Avoid Non-essential Travel): the students, faculty and administrative members of HU planning to travel to the affected areas are advised to postpone or cancel the visit to the country/area; those who are already staying in the affected areas are advised to return to Japan.

*Level 3 and Above (Evacuate and Avoid All Travel): the students, faculty and administrative members of HU are urged to cancel all travel to the country/area regardless of the purpose; those who are already staying in the affected areas are urged to evacuated immediately.

Those who are currently staying in China, please consider or prepare for the evacuation because the current alert level may be upgraded to a higher level should there be any changes in the circumstances regarding the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Be it private or business trip, if any member of HU (students, faculty and administrative members of HU) is planning to travel to China from now on, please consider postponing or cancelling the visit there.

If any member of HU (students, faculty and administrative members of HU) is currently staying in China or is planning to travel to China in the future (whether it is private or business trip), he/she is kindly required to fill in the following web survey. The survey is for ascertaining the current situation regarding the whereabouts and future travel plans of HU members concerned.

• The link to the HU Web Survey regarding the current whereabouts of the members from HU in China or the future travel plan(s) of the members to China

If any member of HU (students, faculty and administrative members of HU) meets the following criteria, the following, please make sure to report your case to HU by filling in the following web form:
i) you have had a history of staying in China in December 2019 or since then,
and
ii) it has been less than two weeks since your return/entry to Japan from China. 

• The link to the HU Web Form for those who have stayed in China recently

For 2 weeks after returning to Japan, please check daily for any presence of symptoms of novel coronavirus including fever, coughing, phlegm, and diarrhea. (Click here for health check)

(1) Returnees and visitors from Hubei Province
When returning or entering Japan, report the place of stay and health to the quarantine officer, and if you have stayed in Hubei within 14 days of returning to Japan, take appropriate action according to the guidance from the quarantine officer.

After returning or entering Japan, please refrain from going out and stay at home for the next two weeks. Check your physical condition every day during that period (daily temperature, presence of any respiratory symptoms, etc.). If you experience symptoms such as fever or cough, do not go to a medical institution, and instead contact the nearest Public Health Center (see below) and follow their advice (always wear a mask). Also, please report this to your department or school and the Health Service Center at HU.

(2) Returnees and visitors from regions other than Hubei Province
For the next two weeks after returning or entering Japan, avoid non-essential outings and crowds, and always wear a mask when you need to go out. Please check your health status every day for the next two weeks (daily temperature, presence of any respiratory symptoms, etc.). If you have a fever (37.5 degrees or higher) or experience respiratory symptoms, do not go to a medical institution, and instead contact the nearest Public Health Center (see below). Also, please report this to your department or school and the Health Service Center at HU.

Should there be any cases where the students concerned are deemed to have been infected by the novel coronavirus or experienced high fever possibly by the new coronavirus, and as a result, had to be absent from classes or the final examinations, he/she shall be provided with backup measures (i.e. make-up lessons or examinations) by HU as the university thinks these constitute unforeseen circumstances, and hence the student in question should not suffer any detrimental treatment by the system.

While it is important to maintain your physical condition at its optimal level, each member of HU is advised to practice regular hand washing and appropriate coughing etiquette, which is just like the basic preventative measures he/she takes against cold and seasonal flu.

Those with plans to travel abroad are required by HU to submit the following documents without any omissions:

Note: The information contained in the submitted documents may be shared with the relevant departments at the university: Affiliated School/ Graduate School, Health Service Center, Student Services Group, International Exchange Group and Personnel Group. It will not be used for any other purposes other than contacting the person in question and for health management.

• For seeking advice on preventive measures and medical treatment for the new coronavirus infection
  Health Service Center
  TEL: 082-424-6192
  E-mail: health＊hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Please replace * with @)
• For seeking advice on travel, entry/returning to Japan
  International Exchange Group, Department of International Affairs
  TEL: 082-424-6184
  E-mail: kokusai-sien＊office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Please replace * with @)
• Support for classes, final exams, etc.
  Education Support Group, Department of Educational Affairs
  TEL: 082-424-7134 (Weekdays 8:30-17:15)
• For all the media enquiries
  Deputy Executive Director (Public Relations), Department of Public Relations
  TEL: 082-424-6017
  E-mail: friji-koho＊office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Please replace * with @)
• Other matters related to the new coronavirus infection
  General Affairs Group (Risk Management), Department of Financial and General Affairs
  TEL: 082-424-6012
  E-mail: risk-anzen＊office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Please replace * with @)

• Higashi-Hiroshima city: Hiroshima Seibu Higashi Health Center
  TEL: 082-422-6911 (8:30-17:15)
  TEL: 080-1635-8801 (after 17:15)
• Minami Ward, Hiroshima City: Hiroshima Minami Health Care Center
  TEL: 082-250-4108 (all day)
• Naka Ward, Hiroshima City: Hiroshima Naka Health Care Center
  TEL: 082-504-2528 (all day)

• [Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare] Outbreak of New Type of Coronavirus-Associated Pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
• [National Institute of Infectious Diseases] New Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] 2019, Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China  -English
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Overseas Safety