December Stomach Virus Outbreak Infects 70

Author: Raam Wong Opinions Editor

Within 24 hours last month, approximately 40 students began to show a similar pattern of symptoms associated with the stomach flu, fueling speculation that the outbreak may have been caused by food poisoning in one of the dining halls.

Dining Services, Parton Health Center and the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) immediately joined to investigate the illness, leading to the preliminary conclusion that the outbreak was the result of a virus and not faulty food preparation.

All told, the virus, which first broke out Dec. 13, affected approximately 70 students, sending many of them to the Health Center or the Porter Hospital Emergency Room with nausea, vomiting and, to a lesser degree, diarrhea.

However, Kathleen Ready, administrative director of the Health Center, believes many students may have gotten sick while at home over the break as well.

The morning after the first outbreak, VDH sanitarians investigated the kitchens of Proctor, FIC and The Grille and interviewed staff members, and Dining Services received high marks.

Additionally, stool samples of several sick students were taken, but lab reports show no trace of bacteria, indicating the outbreak was likely due to a virus spread person-to-person contact, not through food consumption.

Further, in the days and hours leading up to the outbreak, students who became ill had eaten in dining halls all over campus, while others had not eaten on campus at all.

"There's no reason to suspect Dining Services did anything wrong," said Ready. "The significant increase in the spread of the virus can be attributed to the intimate nature of living in close quarters."

Despite the findings indicating no responsibility on the part of Dining Services, there was a correlation between students who ate lunch at the salad bar on Dec.13 and the appearance of stomach flu-like symptoms.

Ready speculated that it is possible that a person may have had the virus, contaminated a utensil or food item at the salad bar, and consequently passed the virus on to other students who ate from the salad bar.

The virus then could have been spread to other students who had not used the salad bar simply through person-to-person contact.

Peter Napolitano, director of Dining Services, was pleased with the way in which his staff worked with the Health Center and the VDH. Upon being notified of the outbreak in the early hours of Dec. 14, Napolitano called the VDH before the office even opened.

In the morning, sanitarians were dispatched to the College to review safety procedures with staff members and inspect kitchens.

"Dining Services did everything it was supposed to do," Napolitano said. Nonetheless, he remains cautious.

Despite the high marks Dining Services received from VDH, Napolitano reviewed safety procedures after the incident and explained sanitation guidelines to staff during the annual Dining Services training sessions. This comes in addition to the food sanitation course all Dining Services workers must complete upon being hired.

"I was very pleased with how the staff reacted," remarked Napolitano, who is responsible for overseeing all dining service operations on campus.

Dining Services, the Health Center and the Department of Health all cooperated well together and the communication was great. There was no attempt to cover anything up," Napolitano commented.

Both Ready and Napolitano pointed out that the outbreak can serve as a reminder for both students and staff.

"The take-home message is the importance of washing your hands and using good hygiene, which can prevent illnesses more than any other effort," Ready explained.

"Students should pay good attention to hand washing, not sharing towels, drinks and toothbrushes, and they should wash their hands before eating in the dining hall."

The outbreak has led to a heightened awareness of how volatile and dangerous food can be. Napolitano believes that his staff should continue to maintain "constant vigilance" in order to ensure that food preparation and service is performed safely.