#TB outbreak

Yay! Not! 4 students at my University have been confirmed to have #tb 😷 We’ve had an outbreak before and it isn’t pretty. 20,000 students and more teachers have to be tested and checked. 😱
#Diseases like this aren’t uncommon in some countries still. We’ve now had #Cholera, TB, and some other issues in the 3 years I’ve lived abroad.
So if you #travel or #studyabroad or #teach internationally, be careful. Wash your hands👍, wear the #masks 😷, Avoid coughing or sneezing people 👄. Only eat food you’ve seen cleaned or well-cooked food🍴. Drink bottled or boiled water ☕. Wash any dishes in boiling water, even at restaurants where dishes come wrapped! Sleep, take your vitamins, and drink orange juice!
#China #tourist #sick #health #safety #travelsafety #stayhealthy

A group of influential education organizations has stepped in to support a private prep school in its appeal against a former student, saying the case could have far-reaching negative effects on study abroad trips.

Cara Munn suffered brain damage after she contracted viral encephalitis in 2007 from a tick bite she received while on a school trip to China with the Hotchkiss School.

Last year, a Connecticut jury awarded Munn $41 million in damages, after agreeing with her family’s claims that the school had failed to take appropriate precautions and to get proper medical attention quickly enough.

The Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, Conn., argued that the tick bite and the illness were so unlikely to occur that there was no way to prepare for or prevent them. Continue reading →

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Study Abroad Monitors Ebola for Traveling Students

“Study Abroad Monitors Ebola for Traveling Students”

by Lindsey Clark via “Vindette Online”

When news that Ebola had entered the U.S. broke in September, panic resulted for many residents.

However, while the threat of the foreign disease is now more tangible, it is unlikely that citizens need to fear.

Meanwhile, several strategies and precautions exist for students interested in the Study Abroad program at ISU they can take despite this threat.

“At this time the Office of International Studies and Programs does not have any students studying in Western Africa,” Samantha Potempa, Study Abroad coordinator, said.

“We are closely monitoring the Ebola situation, and will continue to do so. If an ISU study abroad student was affected, we would work with the student to help them receive the necessary medical attention,” she said.

“Study abroad programs are wonderful things and the current Ebola situation is not one that should discourage students,” Dr. Ben Sadd, assistant professor of Infectious Disease Ecology, said.

As of now, it is advisable not to travel to Sierra Leone, Guinea or Liberia. This is where outbreaks have been the most severe here, but outside of these countries, risk is negligible, Sadd said.

The best way students can educate themselves on foreign diseases is by doing research. Doing research when travelling or planning to travel to unfamiliar destinations should be a top priority for any traveler. . . .