Loyola University Chicago students who are studying abroad in Rome are having their stays cut short as concerns grow about the coronavirus and its spread through Europe.
The university will send students home from its John Felice Rome Center by Wednesday, March 4, school officials announced Saturday.
All students will have to stay at home for a 14-day observation period, under guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This decision coincides and aligns with a number of other U.S. universities and partner schools with programs in Rome,” the statement said.
The university is deferring midterms for returning students and is expected to help offset additional travel costs, officials said.
Loyola University had previously placed a moratorium on school-sponsored travel to China.
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Italian authorities on Saturday reported more than 1,100 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the country, including eight additional deaths since the outbreak was identified, bringing the toll to 29.
The first U.S. death attributed to the virus was confirmed Saturday in Washington state. In Illinois, two people have been treated for coronavirus.
Loyola isn’t the only Chicago school taking measures in response to the outbreak.
DePaul University has canceled future study abroad programs including a spring break trip to Japan and a summer trip to China, according to its website.
The University of Illinois at Chicago suspended all summer 2020 programs in China and Spring 2020 programs in Korea.
