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 has 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. Moreover, on 12th February 2020, MOFA issued its 10th alert on the new coronavirus, requesting the citizens to urgently consider postponing any trip to China.  

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 (as of February 14th, 2020).

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 evacuate 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) is planning to travel to China from now on, please consider postponing or canceling 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) meets the following criteria, please make sure to report your case to HU by filling in the webform below. Visitors are also kindly asked to submit a report in the same way.
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.

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)

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

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

(1) Returnees and visitors from Hubei and Zhejiang Province
When returning or entering Japan, report the place of stay and health to the quarantine officer, and if you have stayed in Hubei or Zhejiang 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 visit a medical office, but contact the nearest novel coronavirus help desk (Public Health Center, 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 and Zhejiang 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 or experience respiratory symptoms consult a medical office immediately.

(3) Those who have come into close contact with someone who traveled or stayed in Hubei and Zhejiang Province
For the next two weeks, please refrain from going out and stay at home. Check your health status every day during this period (daily temperature, presence of any respiratory symptoms, etc.). If you experience symptoms such as fever or cough, do not visit a medical office, but contact the nearest novel coronavirus help desk (Public Health Center, below) and follow their advice (always wear a mask). In so doing, please report this to the department or school of your affiliation and the Health Service Center at HU.

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.

If you meet any of the following descriptions or symptoms, please make sure to contact the nearest novel coronavirus help desk (Public Health Center) and follow their advice.

A rough guide as to when to seek advice from the help desk:

Those who have been with cold symptoms or with a fever of 37.5 degrees or higher, for more than 4 days (the same will apply for those who have had to be on antipyretics or fever-reducing medicine for more than 4 days).
Those who are with severe drowsiness (malaise) or difficulty in breathing (dyspnea)

Persons with the following conditions are more liable to develop severe cases of the novel coronavirus. If  sever conditions last about two days, please visit a coronavirus help desk as soon as possible:

• Senior citizens
• Those with the following underlying medical conditions or medical treatments: diabetes, heart failure, respiratory diseases such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or dialysis
• Those who have been taking immunosuppressants or anticancer drugs
• Expectant mother

To those families with children
So far, there has been no case reports  indicating that children tend to develop sever symptoms by the coronavirus. If your children are seen with any of the afore-mentioned symptoms, please act according to the rough guideline above .

Please remember that at this time of the year, many other disease cases including those of seasonal cold and influenza, are far more common than the cases of novel coronavirus. Those who are concerned about other virus-infections such as those of influenza are well-advised to consult with their family doctors as usual.

Those with plans to travel abroad are required by HU to submit the following documents without any omissions. Supposing you have already submitted the documents for traveling, but wish to cancel or postpone the travel concerned, please notify the corresponding office. Those who are traveling to China for unavoidable reasons are kindly requested to fill out the following form: 

• 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

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.

(1) As a general rule, all the examinees are well-advised to bring their own mask and wear it on the exam venue and during the examination. As for those with symptoms such as fever and cough, it is essential that they wear a mask all the time.

(2) If an examinee meets any of the following health status category and intends to take the entrance exam, please make sure to contact the relevant school he/she is applying for (contact details of each school are listed below).
a. Those who have a fever or experience respiratory symptoms (including mild cases) and have a history of close contact with a person who has been confirmed to be a novel coronavirus case.
b. Those who have a fever of 37.5 degrees or higher, are experiencing respiratory symptoms, and have traveled or stayed in Hubei/Zhejiang Province within 14 days before the appearance of these symptoms.
c. Those who have a history of close contact with a person who have a fever of 37.5 degrees or higher, are experiencing respiratory symptoms, have traveled to or stayed in Hubei/Zhejiang Province within 14 days before the appearance of these symptoms.
d. Those who have a fever of 37.5 degrees or higher, are experiencing respiratory symptoms and have traveled to or stayed in China excluding Hubei and Zhejiang Province within 14 days before the appearance of these symptoms.

(3) The measures required to be taken for any criteria in (2) above, are valid as of February 13, 2020. However, these criteria may be subject to change in the future according to the situation. Any changes regarding the measures to be taken will be announced and can be accessed from the following link (HU website):
https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/nyushi

(4) Should there be any urgent enquiries regarding the new corona virus infections or transportation disturbance on either of the specified date below, please kindly contact the school you have applied for during the business hours (8:30 to17:15):
On Monday February 24th: one day before the date of the General Entrance Examination (February Term)
On Wednesday March 11th: one day before the date of the General Entrance Examination (March Term)
As for any other enquiries, please contact the Entrance Exam Group (contact details given below)

(5) After taking either of the examination above, if it turns out that an examinee has been confirmed to have infected with the novel coronavirus, or has been suspected of the novel coronavirus infection, he/she is required to immediately report such information to the relevant school below.

HU schools contact information

対象者対象者

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, Entrance Exam 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.

(*) Close Contact
People who meet the following definitions are deemed to be as such:

• Those who have lived with or who have come into close contact with a person suspected of having the novel coronavirus infection, or those who have been exposed to a person with the coronavirus for a long time while onboard (a car, bus, or an aircraft etc.) .
• Those professionals who have consulted with, or nursed for, or given care for the patients suspected of the new coronavirus infection, with no special protection such as protective clothing.
• Those who are very likely to have come into direct contact with the respiratory tract secretions or body fluids of the persons suspected of the novel coronavirus infections.

• For HU staff and students 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)
• Entrance examination enquiries
  Department of Educational Affairs, Entrance Exam Group
  TEL: 082-424-2993
• 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
  (Weekdays 8:30-17:00) TEL: 082-422-6911
  (Weekdays after 17:00, Saturdays, Sundays, Japan's National Holidays) TEL: 082-513-2567
• Minami Ward, Hiroshima City: Hiroshima Minami Health Care Center
  (Weekdays 8:30-17:00) TEL: 082-250-4108
  (Weekdays after 17:00, Saturdays, Sundays, Japan's National Holidays) TEL: 082-241-4566
• Naka Ward, Hiroshima City: Hiroshima Naka Health Care Center
  (Weekdays 8:30-17:00) TEL: 082-504-2528
  (Weekdays after 17:00, Saturdays, Sundays, Japan's National Holidays) TEL: 082-241-4566
• Other areas: Hiroshima Prefecture Website “Novel Coronavirus Infections” (in Japanese)
  https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/57/bukan-coronavirus.html

• [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)
• [Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology] Measures Against Infectious Diseases Related to the Novel Coronavirus
• [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] 2019, Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China  -English
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Overseas Safety
• [Ministry of Justice] Daily Life Support Portal for Foreign Nationals