Winnipeg universities send memo to quell ebola concerns

Winnipeg university staff and students are being told about the arrival of international students from areas affected by the Ebola virus.

Both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba distributed memossaying they are continually monitoring the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

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The U of W said it is reaching out to students coming from Nigeria to provide information about the virus and services they can use.

We do have some students coming from Nigeria and because of the Ebola outbreak there, we are just taking precaution, said Jeremy Read, the U of Ws senior executive officer.

There are no international students coming from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, where the virus is more prevalent.

The universities are also monitoring guidelines from Manitoba Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization.

The U of W told students, None of these agencies are recommending any extraordinary steps for a traveller who feels well, including those arriving from the affected countries.

U of W students CBC talked to said they werent concerned.

Am I super concerned that students coming from Africa are going to infect the university? No! said Emily Epp.

David Datzkiw agreed. Right now, we are working with an international student from Nigeria who I am currently taking classes with, he said. I dont think the risk is significant.

U of W officials have also advised students there is a very low risk of any cases of Ebola virus arising in the university community.