The University at Buffalo is issuing a health warning to students, many of whom fell victim to stomach flu this past week.
UB's Office of Environment and Safety says the illness is not believed to be the result of food poisoning, as the sick students did not eat similar meals at common locations during a common timeframe. As a precaution, however, university food service workers are taking additional measures to prevent the potential spread of the stomach virus among customers.
Susan Snyder, director of student health services, advises students with severe symptoms or symptoms lasting more than 24 hours to contact their physician and to not share food or other personal items. In severe cases, the stomach virus can last as long as 10 days.
Students and employees who are sick are asked to stay away from school until they are feeling better. Snyder says symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and body aches, fever and chills, sweating, abdominal cramps and loss of appetite.
Treatments usually involve home remedies, including getting plenty of rest, avoiding certain foods or easing into eating again with bland foods such as saltines, as well as avoiding medicines such as ibuprofen that can upset the stomach further.