There are now 234 cases of students with the stomach flu at the University of Guelph in southern Ontario, and at least one of those is a lab-confirmed case of norovirus.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health confirmed the number of cases Monday afternoon. The regional health unit said unless there was a significant increase, it would no longer be reporting case numbers.
The school said on Wednesday that some students living in residence started to report symptoms a week earlier. By mid-week, at least 60 cases were reported to public health. By Friday, that had more than tripled to 190.
The university has said the majority of the cases are in South Residence, but they’ve also been reported in other residences.
The university said it’s working with public health to address the outbreak. Some of the actions they’re taking include ensuring custodial staff are frequently cleaning commonly touched surfaces, like doorknobs and washrooms, with substances meant to kill norovirus.
Last week, the Public Health Agency of Canada said it’s seeing higher-than-expected case counts of norovirus — a common cause of diarrhea and vomiting especially during the winter months.
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Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, told CBC News on Friday that norovirus can spread easily.
“In fact, just a tiny, like a pin drop, like the head of a pin, if it gets on your hands and if you consume it can give you norovirus. So you get terrible vomiting, like all of a sudden you have to vomit.”
People may also experience diarrhea, although symptoms are often short lived, between 12 and 48 hours, she said.”But it is really nasty,” Mercer said, adding it’s also a difficult virus to kill.
Efforts to contain the virus
Nate Broughton, president of the Central Student Association at the university, said the school has put some communication out to students about how to stay safe, and hopes it continues to work with public health to address the rising number of cases.
“Students are getting a little bit nervous just about what’s going on and how they can stay safe on campus,” he told CBC News over the weekend.
“I understand that a few instructors have decided to move a couple of their lectures online, but at this time, there’s not any wider cancellation from the university level.”
Broughton, a second-year computer science student, said he’s trying to stay “relatively calm” and is washing his hands frequently to avoid getting sick.
“Aside from that, there’s not much that I can do personally other than just keep myself safe.”
The university has said it will be “temporarily moving away from larger-scale social programs” in on-campus residences to help contain spread of the virus.
Students are reminded to wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. People experiencing symptoms should not visit populated areas of the school.
Most cases can be managed at home
Guelph General Hospital said it has seen a “limited number” of new, positive norovirus cases, “all of which have known links to current outbreaks in the Guelph-Wellington community.”
Andrea Lucas, the hospital’s vice-president of patient services and chief nursing executive, said in an emailed statement that in most cases, norovirus can be managed at home.
“The best approach is to stay hydrated, rest and practise good hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus to others,” Lucas said.
For non-urgent health concerns, people are asked to contact their health-care provider or a local urgent care centre.
“Emergency care may be necessary for individuals experiencing severe symptoms,” Lucas said. This is particularly important for pediatric patients or elderly individuals who are more vulnerable to complications such as dehydration. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, reduced urination and dizziness.”
