President's Health Advisory (PHA) #1

Health Advisory : Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCOV)

Greetings and dear all,

1. The Management & Science University (MSU) prioritises on students and staff health-safety and well-being.


2. The university management, as well as the MSU Medical Centre Specialist Hospital, are actively engaged on current trending events relating to the development of the outbreak including via the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. 


3. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also issued standard recommendations to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses include maintaining basic hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices  and avoiding close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.


4. In view of the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the Management & Science University has temporarily halted all activities involving students and staff going to and coming from China. This proactive measure is our response to help contain the outbreak.


5. In the best interest of the MSU community, we have put in place several precautionary measures to ensure health-safety and reduce risks for all:
   • Any staff or students showing symptoms mentioned above must seek medical attention immediately.
   
   
   • All students from China due to return from the Lunar New Year breaks, are given alternatives to ensure minimal disruptions to their studies. Among these include, a semester deferment or continuity of their studies at MSU’s partner universities in China. Deferment of studies will also affect new students from China who are due to begin their semester by middle February at MSU. To ensure further safety, a fourteen-day quarantine period will also be observed for students who have returned from China later.
   
   
   • The measures taken will also affect students and staff mobility activities between MSU and its partners in China. The steps taken are in the best interest of all involved and we hope that situation will improve soon.
   
   
   • The medical team from MSU Medical Centre Specialist Hospital are on standby for further necessary assistance.


6. We are optimistic that this is just a temporary set-back. We are confident that the Chinese authorities are doing their best to arrest the issue based on their experience with SARS and other outbreaks that they had to deal with before this.


7. We thank you everyone, for your support and cooperation in ensuring mitigation around these difficult times would be as seamless as possible. We will update on the developments as they arise, and continuous review of all the actions taken. 


8. In the meantime, be aware of your surroundings, be alert and stay safe always.

Best regards.

Prof Tan Sri Dato Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid
President, Management & Science University