Chinese Exchange Student At William Penn Charter School Who Fell Ill Does Not Have Coronavirus
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Health Department revealed Tuesday the Chinese exchange student at William Penn Charter School who fell ill last week does not have coronavirus. The student's test came back negative.
School officials say a group of 18 students and three chaperones from China arrived at the Penn Charter campus last Tuesday. The exchange group left from an airport near their home on Jan. 16 and flew into Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, where the coronavirus was first identified. From there, the students transferred planes and took a direct flight to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
One of the Chinese exchange students began to feel unwell at the end of last week. The student has been in isolation and has been feeling better.
As a result of the scare, Penn Charter ended its two-week China exchange program.
"We regret that this program has been complicated, and now terminated, because of events that were beyond the control of the people who were excited for all the learning that this cultural exchange had promised," Head of School Darryl Ford said in an email to Penn Charter parents.
Not only did the school see increased student absences, schools in the region canceled athletic events with Penn Charter teams, a public school bus driver attempted to deny transportation to Penn Charter students and a medical professional canceled an appointment with a Penn Charter student.
The exchange students have already left the area. They plan to spend the night in New York before flying home to China on Wednesday.
Coronavirus, which is similar to a common cold and spreads the same way, causes severe respiratory symptoms and a fever, just like the flu.
More than 100 people have died from the coronavirus in China.
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