An outbreak of norovirus at Georgetown University last week prompted AU health officials to warn students of the disease and to educate them on its prevention.
Last week, almost 200 Georgetown students and two employees ended up in the hospital for the virus. While doctors treated most for dehydration and vomiting before releasing them, one student was admitted for observation, according to the emergency preparedness Web site Georgetown created to respond to the outbreak.
The school closed its cafeteria, the possible source of the virus, for almost two days and intensely sanitized every aspect of the university from doorknobs to academic buildings. The D.C. Department of Health has praised the university's quick response to the crisis, according to The Washington Post.
Georgetown's emergency response program brought together campus administrators who coordinated a well-thought out response to the outbreak, according to Todd Olson, Georgetown's vice president for Student Affairs. The school's partnership with the Georgetown University Hospital, the D.C. Department of Health and the university's student Emergency Medical Technician service were also important aspects of the response, Olson said.
To continue to combat the spread of the virus, Olson said that extra cleaning and sanitizing services would be provided throughout the week.
In response to the norovirus crisis at Georgetown, AU listed a health alert in multiple Today@AU e-mails that included a link to a note about the virus from AU's Student Health Center. The note states that norovirus is a highly contagious viral infection that is usually transmitted through food, water or physical contact. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea combined with stomach and muscle pain.
Dan Bruey, director of AU's Student Health Center, said he urges students to frequently wash their hands to prevent becoming sick and spreading diseases. If students have norovirus symptoms, they should visit the center during operating hours or the nearest emergency room if the center is closed.
While norovirus spreads rapidly in crowded environments, AU has not encountered an outbreak of the virus or any other disease in the past. But if a large number of students ever became ill, health center and AU officials would join forces to respond to the crisis, Bruey said.
Nichole Tennison, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she was concerned about the university's ability to respond to a crisis similar to the one at Georgetown.
"I would be really concerned if there was an outbreak at AU," she said. "I wouldn't know what to do and I don't feel like the Health Center is equipped enough [to handle an outbreak]."
Robert Cavooris, a sophomore in SIS, said he assumes the university is prepared to handle a large number of sick students, but questions AU's ability to spread information about the recent norovirus outbreak at Georgetown.
"I skip over most of the Today@AU e-mails," he said. "So I actually found out about the virus from someone at Georgetown."
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