Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFlu bug hits Villanova | Students flood health centers, hospital after widespread campus virus causes vomiting, dehydration
By Ivy Tan
Posted: 2/7/08, 11:57 PM EST Section: News
"I wouldn't necessarily qualify this as a university-wide emergency," Ryan said. "It was more that a large number of people got sick at once and our nurses at the health center don't do IVs, so people had to get transported off campus to local hospitals to get treatment."
The way to contract the virus is not so much through closed areas like dormitory rooms, but rather through direct contact with surfaces that the virus has affected, she said.
Ryan said that the virus also spreads when one student takes care of a fellow student.
Since the virus is spread though contact, the main preventive measures are strict hand- washing and cleaning surfaces, such as in bathrooms and dormitories, McGonigle said.
Although extra staff workers were added to the health center and some nurses worked overtime, the effect of the virus has begun to slow down now that it is in the second week, McGonigle said.
Some students were disappointed that school was still open in light of this situation.
"I know that some of the kids would have loved it if we cancelled all the classes. The deal with the virus is that it has no real treatment other than supportive care," McGonigle said.
iatan@syr.edu
The way to contract the virus is not so much through closed areas like dormitory rooms, but rather through direct contact with surfaces that the virus has affected, she said.
Ryan said that the virus also spreads when one student takes care of a fellow student.
Since the virus is spread though contact, the main preventive measures are strict hand- washing and cleaning surfaces, such as in bathrooms and dormitories, McGonigle said.
Although extra staff workers were added to the health center and some nurses worked overtime, the effect of the virus has begun to slow down now that it is in the second week, McGonigle said.
Some students were disappointed that school was still open in light of this situation.
"I know that some of the kids would have loved it if we cancelled all the classes. The deal with the virus is that it has no real treatment other than supportive care," McGonigle said.
iatan@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
alex
posted 2/09/08 @ 9:00 PM EST
Geez... and I thought the flu I had this week was bad.
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