A handful of students in Northeast Ohio are in self-quarantine after health officials determined they had contact with one of three individuals in Cuyahoga County with COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
Four students at Hawken Upper School in Gates Mills traveled to last week's American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, D.C. on the same bus with one of Ohio's confirmed patients.
Two students at Solon High School are also in self-quarantine after coming into contact with one of the patients.
Both schools sent letters to families. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health notified the families who had children on the same bus to the conference to self-quarantine and monitor symptoms. The schools haven't announced future plans.
Ohio State University (OSU) has announced it is suspending in-person classes and is having students complete assignments online until March 30.
Kent State University has also suspended all in-person classes, effective Tuesday. All classes will be moved online until April 13. Gov. Mike DeWine also held a press conference Tuesday, asking colleges and universities to take similar measures.
More than 40 colleges nationwide have taken similar measures amid the COVID-19 outbreak, according to NPR.
Western Reserve Academy in Hudson has asked its more than 400 students to not return from spring break.
Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency Monday after the Ohio Department of Health confirmed three cases of COVID-19 in the state, all in Cuyahoga County and in their mid-50s. The declaration allows the state to get access to resources and funds without having to place a bid.
More than 600 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of 12 p.m. Tuesday.
Five people in the state are undergoing testing for COVID-19, according to the Ohio Department of Health as of 2 p.m. Monday. Nearly 255 individuals in Ohio are being monitored for symptoms, such as coughing, fever and shortness of breath.
Tips from the CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Avoid unnecessary contact (handshakes, high-fives, etc.)
- Avoid large crowds
- Wash hands for more than 20 seconds
- Hand sanitizer is good in a pinch
- If you're sick, stay home
- Stay away from others who are sick
The Ohio Department of Health has opened a call center for questions relating to the coronavirus: 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
If you have questions relating to the coronavirus you'd like WKSU to answer, click here.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the suggested amount of time spent washing hands. This story has also been updated to reflect recent university decisions regarding classes.