Syracuse University Student Experiences Coronavirus Quarantine Syracuse University International student

Dignelly
A Syracuse University student, who arrived from her homeland China, experiences quarantine by doctors having suspected coronavirus. Her hometown of Wuhan has become the epicenter for the wide spreading coronavirus.

Peipei Lius
“Things where normal. Doctors and nurse where checking my temperature and felt like it was a flu until I said I’m from Wuhan.”

Dignelly
Pipi Liu remained in quarantine until results came in negative. The coronavirus has killed more than 250 people in China and approximated of 12 thousand people infected with the virus. But Liu’s concern doesn’t end with her negative results. She has family members and friends that live in Wuhan.

Peipei Lius
“Complicated feeling. Like sad. I’m worried because they are home and I’m here. I’m so far away from them.I cannot take care of them.”

Dignelly
According to the CDC, coronavirus develop from a virus related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Since is transmitted from person to person, the Health Department recommend to wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.

Dr. Quoc Nguyen
“It is potentially a public health treat.”

Dignelly
United States have six positive coronaviruses confirmed, 114 negative and 121 tests pending.The Medical Director says China reports that a person infected can be contagious before they present symptoms.

Dr. Quoc Nguyen
“But CDC doesn’t believe it. We have a lot to learn in the next several weeks.”

Dignelly
The medical director says they don’t know which information to trust from China’s communications. Even though, they need to take it and prove it. Dignelly Torres, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N. Y. (NCC News)- The fear of the infectious coronavirus has made its way to upstate New York.

According to the CDC, while the virus itself hasn’t popped up in New York state, there are already 12 reported cases of the virus nationwide.

 

CDC Data
CDC Data as of February 8, 2020.
© 2020 Dignelly Torres

Peipei Liu, a Chinese international student at Syracuse University, went to Health Services because she was having a fever noticed by her friend.  “Things where normal. Doctors and nurses where checking my temperature. It felt like it was a flu until I said I’m from Wuhan,” she said.

Her home province of Wuhan has become the epicenter for the wide spreading coronavirus, a disease that  has killed more than 250 people in China, and infected more than 34,000 others worldwide.

For about two weeks, Liu remained in quarantine, until tests results came back negative for the disease. But Liu is still concerned. She has family members and friends that still live in Wuhan. “It’s a mixed feeling. I’m sad, I’m worry,” said the student.

Dr. Quoc Nguyen, the medical director of the Onondaga County Health Department, said that the risk of Americans contracting the virus is low, but possible. “It is potentially a public health threat,” said Dr. Nguyen.

He also said there is a lot to learn about the disease, since they don’t know which information to trust from China’s communications.

The CDC has found similarities between the coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), with regards to how contagious it is. However, they aren’t fully the same. The Onondaga County Health Department suggests to wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer and cover your mouth to help prevent disease from spreading.

 

Reported by
Dignelly Torres

Dignelly Torres

Dignelly Torres is a M. Sc. student in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University. She has experience in investigative and political journalism. She participated in seminars and workshops from U.S. Census Bureau and Osgood Center for International Studies.

Other stories by Dignelly Torres

Related Articles