Norovirus behind illness that sickened 200 at Toronto college

TORONTO – A Toronto college says norovirus is at the root of an outbreak that had more than 200 students experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea in recent days.

Humber College says Toronto Public Health has received laboratory results that show the highly contagious infection was what hit the institution’s North Campus late last week.

The college says it continues to work with the health agency and has been “rigorously” cleaning and disinfecting the campus, with a special focus on common areas and high touch areas.

It also says self-serve food, like salad bar items, have been suspended and all open food from last week has been disposed of.

Humber says the majority of students who have been ill have reported that they are now feeling better.

Toronto Public Health had said the illness was first reported to the agency on Friday, after 40 people at a Humber College campus were sent to hospital.

A spokesman for the college said on Friday that students began reporting symptoms around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, with more cases surfacing through the night.