As the number of new coronavirus cases in Arizona increased, Arizona State University banned university- and grant-funded travel to a handful of countries where the virus was spreading.

The university said in an email sent to faculty and staff on Friday that ASU- and grant-funded international travel to Level 2 and Level 3 countries and Hong Kong was prohibited until further notice.

The travel ban followed health officials' announcement on Friday of a third person who tested presumptive positive for the new coronavirus in the state. Officials said Saturday that two additional presumptive positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the state.

The ban does not apply to personal travel, university spokesperson Katie Paquet told The Arizona Republic on Saturday. However, the university recommended students, faculty and staff avoid personal travel to those Level 2 and Level 3 countries and Hong Kong, where the virus was spreading, she said.

On Thursday, the university advised students and the campus community to follow coronavirus guidelines during spring break travel. The university's spring break is March 8 to March 15, according to its academic calendar.

The Level 2 and Level 3 countries are:

Level 3: China, Italy, Iran and South Korea.

Level 2: Japan.

Level 1: Hong Kong.

Level 3 is to avoid all nonessential travel to this destination, while Level 2 is to practice enhanced precautions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Level 1 is to practice usual precautions.

Paquet did not immediately know on Saturday if any students, faculty or staff were on university-funded trips in any of those countries.

“ASU is working quickly to identify any faculty, staff and students who are in travel-restricted areas on university or grant-funded projects," Paquet said in an email. "We anticipate the number to be small, if any. With respect to ASU’s study-abroad programs, we have a handful of students still departing from Italy, South Korea and Japan. The university is in touch with these students and is working on accommodations.”

All other international travel affiliated with the university will require an explanation as to the nature of the travel and must be approved by the dean and provost or executive vice president, according to the email sent to ASU faculty and staff.

The university also advised faculty and staff against nonessential domestic travel, adding that ASU and grant-funded domestic travel must be approved, according to the email.

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on Twitter @curtis_chels.

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