Dear Colleagues:
As of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2020, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has announced there is a confirmed case of the COVID-19 disease in Champaign County. The individual is not a student, staff or faculty member. CUPHD has traced the recent activities of the individual and does not believe there is any link to being in a university facility or attending a university event. The individual is in self-quarantine under the supervision of CUPHD and those who may have been exposed have been contacted.
CUPHD tells us, in this case, the risk of transmission for the general community is considered to be low from this case. However, they have also said there are at least 50 additional tests pending and they expect to see more cases confirmed in the coming days.
If we learn of new information about the outbreak that would have more direct impact on our students, faculty, staff or operations, we will share this as soon as we can.
Facilities & Services’ Building Service Workers (BSWs) are performing the following activities to help reduce possible exposure to flu, COVID-19, and other viruses on campus:
- Wearing disposable gloves while engaged in cleaning services
- Disinfecting high-touch surfaces (e.g., tables, doorknobs, light switches, handrails, desks) in public areas, such as classrooms, restrooms, hallways, stairs, and conference rooms, during overnight hours when building occupancy is low
- Transitioning from routine cleaning to disinfecting activities twice daily: approximately between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and again between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
The cleaning of any visibly dirty surfaces will remain emphasized as part of the continued response to this emerging public health concern, followed by disinfection as a best practice measure for the prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses. For custodial questions, please contact the F&S Service Office fsserviceoffice@illinois.edu, 333-0340.
Everyone on campus can help take precautionary measures by following the everyday preventive actions for limiting the transmission of viral diseases recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Links to this information, other resources, and answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 illness are available at http://covid19.illinois.edu.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mohamed Attalla, MBA, P.Eng.
Executive Director, Facilities & Services