Important Request from Student Health Service for Entire Campus Community

by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ('92, MA '94)

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

The Wake Forest Student Health Service, in conjunction with the Forsyth County Health Department, is monitoring the presence of the Ebola virus disease in West Africa.  The risk of the disease affecting our campus is low, but the Student Health Service is taking steps now to educate our campus community, identify individuals who may be at risk due to recent travel to certain West African countries and respond to those individuals.

The county health department recently advised the university to identify students, faculty or staff who traveled within the last month to any of the following four countries:  Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.  Ebola is not being reported anywhere else in the world, according to U.S. health officials.

The Student Health Service asks students, faculty and staff to contact it promptly if they have been to any of those countries within the last month (as the disease’s incubation period is 21 days).  They may call 336-758-5218 at any time.

At present, it appears few at Wake Forest have been to the countries of concern this summer, especially in recent weeks.  The Student Health Service has consulted with the University’s Center for Global Programs and Studies for assistance in identifying campus community members who traveled to those countries, recently.  No one has been identified who appears at risk of contracting the illness.

The Student Health Service, along with the county health department, will assess any risk to students, faculty and staff who visited Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone within the past month.  Anyone on campus planning to travel to those countries is encouraged to contact the Student Health Service before leaving.

Meanwhile, the Student Health Service will continue monitoring updates from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization and local public health officials.

Additional details about Ebola and steps taken by the Student Health Service are available on the service’s web site.  Information on the disease is also available on the CDC’s web site.

Wake Forest Communications and External Relations

Contact

To contact the Office of Family Engagement or Family Communications, please visit our contact page.

 

For mental health assistance: 336-758-CARE (2273) is a service that ensures someone will always be available (i.e., 24/7 M-F, weekends and university holidays) to provide caring and thoughtful consultation services for Wake Forest students in need of mental health assistance or support.