Two employees at Umeå University have been found to be infected with the coronavirus. Both have been infected during a work-related trip abroad. None of them work in an environment where they come in contact with students, many other employees or the public. The infection control unit at Region Västerbotten is involved and has assessed the risk of infection as low.
Both employees are at home. The colleagues that work closely with the two infected employees have been informed and have been strongly recommended to work from home for the next 14 days.
The work-related trip was at a European Country that was not one of those that the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs advised against travelling to. On Saturday 14 March, the Ministry advised against all travel abroad. Therefore, Umeå University has decided to cancel all foreign business trips and will not send any students to new exchanges with foreign universities.
Follow up-to-date information at www.umu.se/en/covid-19 and especially this urgent recommendation:
Faculty, staff and students at Umeå University who experience symptoms of respiratory tract infection such as coughing, sore throat and fever, even mild ones, are upon agreement with their immediate superior or course coordinator requested to stay at home, away from campus and avoid social contacts. According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden, symptoms to pay close attention to are fever and coughing. Breathing difficulity, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain are also common symptoms that may indicate infection.
Update: Later on Sunday, there was additional information about two more cases at the University. These two employees have been abroad and have not been in the workplace after returning home. They also have been in contact with the infection control unit, and will work at home for 14 days.