VILLANOVA, Pa. – A virus took over the Villanova University community infecting over 100 people, resulting in a number of student absences and hospital visits.
The infection is a common form of gastroenteritis, also known as the “norovirus” or “norwalk-like virus.” Symptoms include stomach pain, vomiting, dehydration and spells of unconsciousness. The disease has been widespread among students who live in residence halls, making it difficult for students to avoid the contagious disease.
According to the university, vomit and other bodily fluids are often built up over the weekends because the facilities management is short-staffed during that time. Unfortunately, according to officials, one of the easiest ways to contract the norovirus is through vomit.
The captain of Villanova EMS, Kaitlin Ryan, said it was difficult to determine how many people were infected with the virus; however on Jan. 22, phone calls from students infected reached its peak. Ryan said the calls came mostly from freshmen and sophomores. The virus has also begun to spread to other parts of the campus.
The university is uncertain as to how many are infected because most have not visited the Student Health Center.
Students were informed of the virus a week after the outbreaks began. For those who had already contracted the illness, there was no information accessible to prevent the disease from spreading until Dr. Mary McGonigle, director of the Student Health Center wrote and E-mail to the campus community, explaining the impact of the virus, Jan. 30.
On Jan. 24, students at nearby Rosemont College received an E-mail from Rosemont’s Director of Residence Life Michelle Broughton, notifying them of the presence of the disease on Villanova’s campus and informing students on ways to prevent the virus.
Administrators at Villanova said the school will not be shut down, despite rumors claiming that if a certain number of students are infected, the school will close operations. Instead, administrators maintain that the disease is common during the winter.
To prevent the disease, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends frequent hand washing, frequent washing of clothing and linens exposed to the virus, and thorough cleaning of all foods and surfaces with alcohol.
For more information about the norovirus, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm.
