Personal Injury Law

MSU's Shaw Hall Cafeteria Closed Until At Least Saturday As Norovirus Strikes 30 Students

By Marler Clark LLP

 Shaw Hall, a central cafeteria and dorm on the Michigan State University campus, is the latest victim of a norovirus outbreak. About 30 MSU students got the vomit disease.

The Shaw Hall cafeteria is closed until at least Saturday morning, said university spokesperson Jason Cody.  According to the Detroit Free Press:

Ingham County Health Department Medical Director Dean Sienko said the department had a hunch it was norovirus, and started their control measures ahead of the lab results, which he said gives them the advantage over the virus.

'We're not out of the woods yet,' Sienko said. 'We know at least what our enemy is.' A few more students have appeared at Sparrow Hospital today, he said, but nothing like the mass of students that flooded the emergency room Wednesday, starting at 1:30 a.m.

Sienko said this outbreak is not food-related. Norovirus is spread easily by contact with infected individuals, sharing their food or drink, or contacting surfaces contaminated by the virus.

Cody said disinfection procedures are also in place at dorms besides Shaw Hall where sick students lived.

For more from the Free Press, go here.

Full post as published by Norovirus Blog on April 02, 2009 (boomark / email).