BETHLEHEM, N.H. (WHDH) - A New Hampshire boarding school international student has been placed into a medical quarantine as he undergoes testing for the coronavirus following a recent visit to China.
The White Mountain School student, whose name has not been released, placed themself into isolation after developing cold-like symptoms last Thursday, Head of School John A. Drew wrote in a letter to the community.
The student later requested transportation to Littleton Urgent Care at Littleton Regional Healthcare, where personnel placed the student into a medical quarantine out of an abundance of caution.
Staff also submitted specimens for coronavirus testing to the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services that were then sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Drew explained.
“It is admirable that our student took precautionary and immediate steps after developing symptoms, and we are grateful for their cooperation with the staff at LRH during their medical quarantine,” Drew wrote. “We are in frequent contact with both the student and the student’s family to provide support, comfort, and information. Likewise, we remain in close contact with hospital staff to ensure our student’s physical and emotional wellbeing.”
No other international students at the boarding school in Bethlehem have reported symptoms associated with the coronavirus, Drew added.
This letter comes after the N.H. DHHS announced that two people in the state are being tested for the potentially deadly virus.
If testing confirms a case of coronavirus, state officials say they will “share that information and protective recommendations with both the affected parties and the public as quickly as possible.”
The CDC has confirmed five infections of coronavirus in America from four states and is testing more than 100 additional individuals across the country.
Thousands have become sick with the coronavirus in China and more than 100 people have died.
The CDC recommends taking precautionary measures similar to those for flu prevention, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, avoiding sick people, staying home if you are sick, covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
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