With norovirus cases on the decline, Babson reopens

April 1, 2009 05:20 PM Email| Comments (3)| Text size – +

By Stewart Bishop, Globe Correspondent

Babson College reopened its campus today, four days after an outbreak of the norovirus gastrointestinal illness forced the school to close.

Dennis Hanno, dean of the undergraduate school, said that the outbreak, which spiked on Friday and Saturday, had moderated in recent days.

Symptoms of the norovirus include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. They usually last from 24 to 60 hours, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Let's just say if you had been here on Friday, you would have heard some very unpleasant sounds coming from Health Services," Hanno said.

On Saturday, after consulting with the town health board, the college closed at 5 p.m. and asked all students to remain on campus in order to limit the spread of the infection.

A total of 174 cases of the illness have been reported at the college since the outbreak began last Wednesday.

"In a closed, close environment like a college campus, it can spread really fast," said Mary Suresh, director of the Wellesley Health Department. "Once it hits, it's terrible. It's very unpleasant."

Suresh also said there is no indication the sickness spread beyond the campus.