About 85 George Washington University students have become ill from norovirus, university officials said.
The gastrointestinal illness has been identified in GW students since Monday. The infected students live, take classes, study and eat in many different locations, university officials said.
Norovirus symptoms include diarrhea, throwing up, nausea and stomach cramping. Illness from the virus is usually not serious and people usually recover within one or two days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People can get the virus by eating contaminated foods and drinks, touching contaminated objects and surfaces and then putting their hands and fingers in their mouths, and having direct contact with an infected person, according to the CDC.
To help prevent the spread of norovirus — which has no vaccine or drug treatment — GW officials said the university is increasing its cleaning of commonly used areas and continuing to supply hand sanitizer at stands in high-traffic areas.
