Spring Break
Stomach virus infects 114 students
Katherine Martinez
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: News
A total of 114 people on campus have caught a gastrointestinal virus since Feb. 1, according to UConn spokeswoman Karen Grava.
Viral gastroenteritis is a stomach bug that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The virus can also causes dehydration, which leads to fevers and fatigue.
It was originally rumored that the disease was linked to food poisoning in McMahon dining hall because a large number of McMahon residents were sick.
According to Grava, Student Health Services and the UConn sanitarian interviewed those who were admitted to the infirmary and asked for a complete history of the food they ate within the past few days. The results showed that there was no link between the food and the people who were sick. Workers in McMahon dining hall were also interviewed, but none of them were sick.
The state Department of Health said that the number of students sick at UConn is consistent with the number of people sick across the state, Grava said.
Cara Flynn, a 4th-semester psychology and human development and family studies major, caught the virus on Friday, Feb. 6. She went to the infirmary that night and was immediately given a shot. Flynn was vomiting from 6-11 p.m.
"It came to the point where I had nothing to throw up anymore, I was just really nauseous," Flynn said..
According to Flynn, who spent the night in the infirmary, all of the beds surrounding her were full of people with the same virus. Although Flynn was not given an IV, many students around her were.
"I don't know why some people got an IV and some didn't," she said.
Student Health Services would not comment on the virus.
Flynn, along with everyone else in the infirmary, was asked to check out the next morning so the infirmary could close. Upon checking out, Flynn felt dizzy and had to have her pulse taken. She was sick for a brief period after leaving the infirmary, but felt better shortly after.
Anne Marie Hovasse, a 6th-semester psychology major caught the virus on Sunday, Feb. 8, and it lasted for about 24 hours. "I didn't go to the infirmary, I just slept and kept hydrated," said Hovasse.
According to Grava, the number of people who have gotten sick has decreased since the beginning of February. The University is hoping that the virus is dying down.
"All that we can do is recommend that people wash their hands well and frequently," advised Grava. "The length of a hand wash and the amount of friction used really matters," she said, advising students to wash their hands for a long enough period of time to get through one round of 'Happy Birthday."
Viral gastroenteritis is a stomach bug that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The virus can also causes dehydration, which leads to fevers and fatigue.
It was originally rumored that the disease was linked to food poisoning in McMahon dining hall because a large number of McMahon residents were sick.
According to Grava, Student Health Services and the UConn sanitarian interviewed those who were admitted to the infirmary and asked for a complete history of the food they ate within the past few days. The results showed that there was no link between the food and the people who were sick. Workers in McMahon dining hall were also interviewed, but none of them were sick.
The state Department of Health said that the number of students sick at UConn is consistent with the number of people sick across the state, Grava said.
Cara Flynn, a 4th-semester psychology and human development and family studies major, caught the virus on Friday, Feb. 6. She went to the infirmary that night and was immediately given a shot. Flynn was vomiting from 6-11 p.m.
"It came to the point where I had nothing to throw up anymore, I was just really nauseous," Flynn said..
According to Flynn, who spent the night in the infirmary, all of the beds surrounding her were full of people with the same virus. Although Flynn was not given an IV, many students around her were.
"I don't know why some people got an IV and some didn't," she said.
Student Health Services would not comment on the virus.
Flynn, along with everyone else in the infirmary, was asked to check out the next morning so the infirmary could close. Upon checking out, Flynn felt dizzy and had to have her pulse taken. She was sick for a brief period after leaving the infirmary, but felt better shortly after.
Anne Marie Hovasse, a 6th-semester psychology major caught the virus on Sunday, Feb. 8, and it lasted for about 24 hours. "I didn't go to the infirmary, I just slept and kept hydrated," said Hovasse.
According to Grava, the number of people who have gotten sick has decreased since the beginning of February. The University is hoping that the virus is dying down.
"All that we can do is recommend that people wash their hands well and frequently," advised Grava. "The length of a hand wash and the amount of friction used really matters," she said, advising students to wash their hands for a long enough period of time to get through one round of 'Happy Birthday."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Its the food....
posted 2/17/09 @ 11:56 AM EST
I had this last year....i ate Cheese Raviolis from South Dining Hall...immediately afterwards, I had intense pain and nausea for hours. Never ate the ravioli again. (Continued…)
Kenny
posted 2/18/09 @ 9:34 PM EST
Student Health Services is completely unreliable and honestly needs to become more proactive and helpful. You can be sure at least 4-5 times as many people were sick with the virus than the reported 114 (most people don't go to the infirmary when they have a stomach virus). (Continued…)
Maggie
posted 5/06/09 @ 7:36 PM EST
My friend,Alexa,gets the stomach virus all the time.But,my friends,Marissa,
Diana,Sam,Yuya,Robert,and Anthony,think she's pretending,but I'm worried about her and her stomach virus. (Continued…)
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