WASHINGTON — As students prepare to head back to class next week, health officials at the University of Maryland on emphasized the importance of prevention when it comes to adenovirus Wednesday.
Dr. David McBride, director of the university’s health center, said there have been 43 cases of adenovirus among students since a freshman student died from complications of it in November.
Of those cases, two were diagnosed over the winter break.
“We are encouraging students to delay returning to campus if they’re sick, because we know viruses are spread from person to person,” McBride said.
Students are advised to wash their hands, cover coughs and stay away from others when sick.
The university has been following all guidelines to keep students safe, said Angela Crankfield-Edmond of the Prince George’s County Health Department.
She encouraged students to get flu shots.
“The main thing we’re both trying to emphasize is prevention,” Crankfield-Edmond said.
To help prevent the spread of adenovirus, contractors cleaned 4,600 campus dorms and apartments over the winter break, but about 600 students opted out of the cleaning.
“We didn’t want to force people into having their spaces clean, but we continue to give the message to all students that ongoing cleaning of their space … is an important part of ongoing prevention on campus,” said McBride.
