Monday, February 24, 2020 2:29PM EST

Kent State University continues to closely monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Italy, particularly related to our Florence campus. The university is working in close partnership with the Association of American College and University Programs in Italy, which is coordinating directly with government and health officials in Italy. The university will follow the guidelines set forth by U.S. and Italian agencies.

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Italy remains at a Watch Level 1, with no recommendation to cancel or postpone travel to Italy. However, the U.S. Embassy in Rome issued a health statement on Sunday, Feb. 23, recommending that individuals follow Italian health official guidance and avoid government-designated affected areas. Because of these restrictions, upcoming field trips to Venice and Milan have been canceled. All regularly scheduled classes and other academic activities at our Florence campus are continuing as scheduled.

We will provide updates regularly as we continue to monitor local, national and international alerts.

Should you have additional questions, you may contact the Kent State Florence emergency number at +39-3711635353 (available 24 hours a day) or Kent State’s Office of Global Education at 330-672-7980 (during normal business hours).