Norovirus Infects Babson

Babson College students returned to class yesterday after the institution was forced to close for four days due to an outbreak of Norovirus.

The gastrointestinal virus, which can induce diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pains, had infected more than 80 students by last Saturday and still had a handful of patients trickling into Babson’s campus infirmary as of Tuesday.

Although 15 infected students had to be transported to local hospitals, the worst appears to be over.

“[The Wellesley Board of Health and the Wellesley Health Department have] both expressed full support for our decision to reopen at this time and for our planned actions going forward,” Babson College President Leonard A. Schlesinger said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The College has responded to the outbreak by putting a strong emphasis on the necessity of practicing good hygiene. The substitution of condiments packets for salt and pepper shakers and chef-prepared salads instead of an open salad bar are a few small changes Babson officials hope will make a big difference. An extensive educational campaign centered around washing hands is also in the works.

“We’re taking really tough precautions of wiping everything down. It’s all about hygiene,” said Dennis Hanno, dean of the Undergraduate School at Babson College. “We’ve also been very proactive in encouraging students to stay on campus. We’ve cancelled all athletic events up until Thursday to minimize our formal interactions between other campuses.”

And with the virus’ diminishing presence at Babson, the attention now shifts to other Boston area colleges and what needs to be done to prevent a similar campus outbreak.

In Harvard’s case, administrative officials echoed Hanno’s call for a health-conscious and hygienic campus.

“The only thing that we can do is practice good hygiene. Good hygiene is essential in preventing these types of infections,” said David S. Rosenthal ’59, the director of Harvard University Health Services.

Harvard already requires hand sanitizer in every dining hall and gloves on every dining hall worker to curb the potential spread of disease.

Although many schools have now taken the necessary precautions to stop future epidemics, the Norovirus is no stranger to college campuses across the country. Within the past year, it has already infected Georgetown, USC, and Hope College in Michigan.