Ebola top of mind at New Brunswick universities

Several post-secondary institutions in New Brunswick are popular choices for students from Africa and they arent taking any chances when it comes to the Ebola virus.

At the University of Moncton, posters can be found throughout the campus. The posters warn students who have been to countries affected by Ebola about what to look for and what to do if they have symptoms.

Student MouhamedSakho is from Senegal and thinks the school is doing a good job at keeping students informed and points to the posters in particular, as well as information sent by email.

But Marie-Pierre Comeau says she hasn't heard much at all.

"I've seen some posters.Other than that, I'm not sure what was put in place for people who were in contact, so I can't comment on that, but from my point of view, I haven't heard much about it on campus," she said.

The university doesn't have any students from Sierra Leone or Liberia, but they do have a number of students from Guinea, which is where the outbreak began.

At CCNB, information about Ebola isn't being communicated by poster or email, it's being delivered face to face.

By offering it massively, verbally, then we think that we are informing more people or making sure, we validate that they have gotten the information, rather than just referring them to something that is written," said Chantal Berthelotte, the director of student success.

At UNB, officials held a bi-campus planning meeting to discuss the matter before classes resumed and officials fromNew Brunswick's Department of Healthwere present.

The university contacted most students directly who may have been returning to campus from affected countries and provided informationabout Ebola developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Department of Health.

TheUNBStudent Health Centre on the Fredericton campus has been working closely with theDepartment of Health in case of an outbreak of the virus.Doctors atUNBhave been provided withtraining and information on how to handle a potential case of Ebola.

For students who came from affected countries in West Africaand started class in September, the 21-day incubation period is complete and no one exhibited any signs or symptoms of Ebola.

Schools say they intend to remain vigilant about Ebola preparedness, especially given that in January, a new group of international students will start to arrive on campuses across the province.