Dear Members of the Georgetown Community:
Since early afternoon Tuesday, September 21, approximately 12 students on our Main Campus have reported symptoms including severe stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea. The students are being treated and we are working to understand if the cases are connected, and if so what the cause is.
If you are not feeling well and experiencing symptoms of severe stomach pains, vomiting or diarrhea, please seek medical treatment.
- If you are on campus or in the surrounding neighborhoods and experiencing severe symptoms and need assistance, please call the Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) at 202-687-4343. If you live beyond the Georgetown neighborhood and need assistance, please call 911.
- Students can also contact the Student Health Center at 202-687-2200 from 8am until 5pm, or reach an on-call Student Health Center clinician after hours by calling the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital paging operator at 202-444-7243. Please indicate that you are a Georgetown student who would like to speak to the doctor on call for the Student Health Center. The paging operator will contact the on-call clinician and that person will call you back at the phone number you provide (usually within 30 minutes).
- Students may also go to the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital emergency room or the hospital/health care facility closest to where they reside.
- Faculty or staff should contact your health care provider or seek immediate treatment. Please also contact the public health team at chiefpublichealthofficer@georgetown.edu.
At this time we do not know the cause of the symptoms, but it is prudent to assume they are related to an infectious process. Please be aware that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a national outbreak of Salmonella from an unknown source. Salmonella is a bacteria that affects the intestinal system and can cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
While we do not know the cause of this outbreak, if you are experiencing symptoms, please limit your contact with others and keep yourself well hydrated. As a reminder, please practice good hand hygiene, washing with soap and water frequently or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Our Public Health team is in touch with the DC Department of Health. We will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates as needed.
Sincerely,
Ranit Mishori, M.D., MHS, FAAFP
Professor of Family Medicine, Vice President and Chief Public Health Officer