Coronavirus: North Iowans Share What They've Witnessed Abroad

KIMT News 3's Alex Jirgens is talking with 2 academics who are over in Italy

To explain.

Alex?xxx coronavirus international-nrintro-2 amy and george - italy is one of many countries feeling the impacts of the deadly virus.

Today - i spoke with two students from mason city studying and teaching abroad.

They're sharing their experience in a different country while the virus rages on across the globe.xxx corona int-pkgll-1 coronavirus international-pkg-3 laura keenan is part of a study abroad program with ave maria university in rome.

She says despite confirmed conrovirus cases - there is no panic in the italian capital.

Coronavirus international-pkg-4 "we've even stopped taking public transportation in rome, not because it's a huge fear day to day that we're going to catch coronavirus, but just making sure taking those precautions not to get sick."

Coronavirus international-pkg-5 she's heard from students in other programs who made arrangements to leave mid- semester.

Now - keenan says she too is looking at flights.

"yesterday is when everyone flew out.

I heard the airport was quite busy, but it's also started to slow down because there's no one flying in."

A little bit further south in calabria - nichole hehr is teaching english to italian high schoolers.

Compared to more northern cities like milan - florence and venice - hehr says there has only been one confirmed case in her area.

Coronavirus international-pkg-6 "people are still going out to restaurants, seeing their friends.

They don't greet each other as closely as before."

Coronavirus international-pkg-7 hehr is wanting to stay.

But says she will leave - if forced to do so.

"i honestly would be more concerned about leaving because then i'd have to go to airports, big cities, more exposure than staying here."

/ coronavirus international-nrtag-2 today - the iowa department of public health is requesting iowans returning from a country where coronavirus is spreading to voluntarily self quarantine in their home for two weeks.

If they become ill - they are advised to call their doctor - and let them know about their recent travel.

Live in the newsroom - alex jirgens - kimt news 3.

/ thank you alex.

Italian officials have reported nearly 1700 confirmed cases - with 34 declared dead.

The country has the most coronavirus cases of any country outside of asia.

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