Students at the Miami University of Ohio have been warned to take extra care with personal hygiene after a norovirus outbreak has affected at least 200 students across campus, according to the Associated Press. A number of students have tested positive for the virus since last Tuesday, when several students went to a school health center in Oxford, Ohio and complained of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
University authorities are doing all they can to prevent further spread of norovirus, with the Environmental Services Department conducting a "deep cleaning" of common and dining areas across campus, according to Dayton Daily News. Jenny Bailer, the nursing director for the Butler County Health Department, told reporters that it was important to keep the public informed about how to keep themselves from catching the virus, as "it's pretty awful" and can "spread like wildfire."
The original source of the virus is currently unknown, but the university administration has recommended that students use soap and water to wash their hands rather than antiseptic wipes and gels, which are not wholly effective in tackling the virus. Cynthia Traficant, practice manager at the Miami Health Services Clinic, told The Miami Student that university campuses are prime areas for viruses like this to spread.
"Any time you have large groups of people living in close contact and sharing space, the chance of the spread of virus goes up," Traficant said. "Those factors make this the perfect storm for the virus to thrive."
A small number of the students affected by the virus have gone to the hospital to get treatment for dehydration symptoms caused by the illness, Reuters reported. The outbreak at Miami University is the latest in a series of cases across the U.S., affecting students from Ursinus College and the University of Michigan, as well as a number of restaurants and other institutions.
