Ruling affects travel sponsored by the school.
By: Jeff Milgram
Princeton University has issued a temporary ban on all university-sponsored travel to parts of Asia because of the outbreak and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
University President Shirley M. Tilghman approved the travel ban Wednesday night based on the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
The travel ban affects China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam. The ban does not apply to programs already under way, such as Study Abroad.
The university is also asking that students, faculty and staff who travel to those areas on their own obtain medical clearance from the University Health Services before returning to campus.
The university also asked students, faculty and staff who plan to travel to those areas to notify University Health Services before departing on their trips.
University spokeswoman Lauren Robinson-Brown said the travel ban would affect few students this time of year.
So far, the CDC is investigating 85 cases of SARS in the United States, including one in New Jersey. China admitted that it has 1,190 suspected cases.
The illness usually begins with a fever (measured temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The fever is sometimes associated with chills or other symptoms, including headache, general feeling of discomfort and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset. After two to seven days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough.
"We don’t want to take any chances, Ms. Robinson-Brown said Thursday. The university has posted information about SARS on its Web site since mid-March.