1 in isolation, 5 still in China: Wauwatosa school taking coronavirus precautions



WAUWATOSA -- A student who recently returned from China is in isolation as a safety measure. The president of the Wisconsin International Academy in Wauwatosa says it is just an extreme precaution -- the student has shown no symptoms related to the coronavirus.

Jian-Guo Sun



"We want to make sure our community is safe, as well as our student and our staff," says Jian-Guo Sun, president of the Wisconsin International Academy. "We know very, almost no chance (the student) would get it. But again, for precaution."

The coronavirus has killed more than 100 people in China. Now, the academy is taking extreme precautions -- six of its 85 students traveled to China for the Chinese New Year. One of the high school's students returned Sunday after visiting Shanghai -- about 9 hours from Wuhan, marked as the source of the virus.

Wisconsin International Academy



Wisconsin International Academy



He voluntarily isolated himself to his single-room dorm as a precaution.

"We check temperatures a few times a day, morning, noon and evening and the last few days," Sun says. "No symptoms."

While the student is not showing any symptoms, he will remain in isolation a few more days -- the virus can take up to 14 days to incubate.

As for the other five students -- who are still in China -- the school is not allowing them to return, yet, and is helping them remotely with academic support in the meantime.

"Depends on how the things develop," says Sun. "We will make a decision, how we're going to help them out, remotely."

School officials say they're working closely with the Wauwatosa Health Department, but reassure that the community is safe.

"We are good," Sun says. "All people here, we feel like are safe."

School officials also say that, as long as the student doesn't show any symptoms over the next several days, he will return to classes the week of Feb. 3.