Wayne State student stranded in Peru after traveling to visit family before coronavirus escalated in US

Mohammad Taha stuck at Peru Airbnb

DETROIT – A student from Wayne State University is stuck in Peru after he traveled there to visit family before the United States government closed the border due to the coronavirus.

UPDATE: Wayne State student back in Detroit after being stranded in Peru due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Mohammad Taha is a senior at Wayne State. He left the country March 11 to visit family in Peru and planned to return Tuesday. But the U.S. government closed the borders the day before he was scheduled to take off, and now he and those he traveled with are stranded.

They’re staying at an Airbnb and getting financial help from home, but like many others, their lives are on hold and their futures are uncertain.

“We are aware the governments of several countries have announced suspension of air travel,” the State Department said in a statement. “We are considering all options to assist U.S. citizens in these countries and are continuously assessing travel conditions in all areas affected by COVID-19. We will continue to update our travel advisories and safety information for U.S. traveler as situations evolve.”

You can hear Taha’s comments in the video posted above.


About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.