St Andrews University students tested for coronavirus

There are no confirmed cases of the disease (COVID-19) in the town. While several of the university’s students have been tested after recent travel overseas, all the tests have come back negative.

Scotland recorded its first case of coronavirus earlier this week, after a person in the Tayside area tested positive after travelling to northern Italy.

The university has warned staff and students to consider the risks of travelling overseas. A statement on the website says: ‘We have urged all students and staff considering travel overseas in the near future to carefully consider the risks, the rapidly changing nature of the spread of infection in the UK and other countries, and the implications on their personal and professional circumstances should they be required to self-isolate on their return.’

The current outbreak of the coronavirus disease was first reported from Wuhan, China, on December 31.

Researchers have suggested that the death rate for the viral disease is anywhere between five and 40 in 1000.

Catherine Calderwood, the chief medical officer for Scotland, warned this week that it is expected that between 50 and 80 per cent of the population would be infected during the epidemic.

The latest information about the university’s response to coronavirus can be found at news.st-andrews.ac.uk/novel-coronavirus.