COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Flagship universities in Maryland and North Carolina have canceled study abroad programs in Italy and are working to bring students home amid the continuing spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The University of Maryland, along with Towson University in Maryland, suspended study abroad programs in Italy and told students to return home after the Centers for Disease Control raised its coronavirus warning level Friday night to limit travel in that country.
The University of Maryland’s flagship College Park campus has 136 students studying in Italy, while Towson has nine students and additional faculty and staff there. Students are being told to return to their homes away from campus and self-quarantine for 14 days.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also expanded its restrictions on nonessential University-affiliated travel to Italy and canceled spring semester study abroad programs in Italy. The university said travel restrictions are now in place for China, South Korea and Italy.
UNC said it is communicating with affected students studying abroad about their return to the United States and their academic continuation options.
