ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan students are being asked to take precautions after roughly 30 people have sought treatment for symptoms resembling norovirus.
The students primarily in East Quad and South Quad have been seeking treatment since Monday, and a few have sought emergency treatment for dehydration, said U-M spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald.
Campus maintenance staff have stepped up their cleaning efforts across campus as a precaution. Test results likely won’t confirm the presence of norovirus until Friday, but the symptoms make the connection fairly likely, Fitzgerald said.
“We’re (taking) an abundance of caution until we know what we’re dealing with,” he added.
The news was initially thought to affect the timing of the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, but officials announced on Twitter that they would begin as scheduled at 6:30 p.m.
The Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships will begin as scheduled tonight at 6:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/FTgoyns8Cu
— Michigan Swim & Dive (@umichswimdive) February 17, 2016
The best protection against norovirus is diligent hand washing, Fitzgerald said. Those who become ill should self-isolate to avoid exposure to others.
The virus causes illness in a fairly short time window, between 24 and 72 hours.
