Physical Wellness

University of Michigan Student Left Campus As More Students Got Ill With Norovirus

By Jenn Loro | Update Date: Feb 22, 2016 10:00 AM EST

A sophomore student at the University of Michigan decided to leave the campus over fears of contracting food-borne norovirus that sickened around 100-150 students this week.

As reported by ABC News, the state health and human services department already conducted a confirmatory testing and results yielded positive for norovirus outbreak.

Francesca Bennett made the decision at a time when most students are increasingly worried over midterms and papers. She lamented that her fellow students do not seem to put a lot of importance of following safety precautions to avert the further spread of the virus in the campus and elsewhere.

Norovirus is highly contagious with symptoms that include fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

According to WXYZ, the outbreak started in the University housing area particularly at West Quad and South Quad. As a result of the food scare, students manifesting the abovementioned symptoms are required to stay in their rooms for two days and wait until the symptoms disappear. They are also urged to observe stringent hygiene practices such as the frequent washing of hands.

The fear over the gastrointestinal illness has given the school officials more reasons to implement strict sanitation drive including extra scrubbing to the campus pool in anticipation of the upcoming Big Ten women's swimming and diving championship as mentioned in a report by Fox news.

Recently, another norovirus outbreak sickened more than 200 students at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. In New Hampshire, about 500 people fell ill to the gastrointestinal food-borne illness which triggered the closure of a Concord private school Friday.

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