China's COVID-19 outbreak hits home for one Northern Valley family

by Colleen Love – KTNA

The Facebook profile picture of Amaryah Robinson shows a happy face, partially hidden behind a surgical mask.  Amaryah, who grew up in Talkeenta is a graduate student in Changchun, China, which is located about 1,000 miles from the outbreak of the coronavirus.  According to Amaryah, Changchun has had only a few confirmed cases of the virus.  But that’s enough for her university to be completely locked down.  Amayah’s mother, Lu Robinson explains:

So, originally, there were no cases in Changchun.  And so, the university said, ‘If you are not in Changchun at the university at this time, you may not return until we tell you.’  I believe they have six cases in Changchun, so as soon as that happened, the university literally closed the gates.  It’s not like cabin fever. You’re not stuck in your room.  The university is beautiful.  They have a lake and a pond, and they can go play in the gym…but they cannot leave the campus.

In January, the US Consulate issued a warning, urging Americans in the area to leave, but Amaryah chose to stay.  She explained that evacuating could potentially bring her into contact with more danger than staying in quarantine at her university.  Surprisingly, Lu told me that she isn’t worried.

Most of the people that died were over fifty, but they were people who had medical complications, already. From what I looked at, they were people who had issues with inflammation, and this virus makes inflammation in your lungs, so they would be much more susceptible….And remember, not everybody died.  People got this and they kicked it, and some of them were not in a hospital setting.

Amaryah’s university has temporarily suspended classes and may be transitioning to a limited array of online options this semester.  So far the coronavirus has had a relatively low mortality rate.  Only about 2% of those infected with the coronavirus have died, which makes it less deadly that the SARS virus of a few years ago.  Every day Amaryah is required to check in with the University Health Office and report her well being.  She writes, “Yea, I get frightened sometimes.  But for now I think I will just find a reason to smile everyday and find a way to be helpful.  Thanks everyone for the concern, but I believe I will be OK.