Members Of Beta Theta Pi At University Of Florida Contract A Rare And Horrible Virus

Ashley Schaeffer BMW11 years ago

There are few smited-by-God consequences a fraternity can endure that are worse than having a charter revoked, suffering a heartbreaking defeat in an IM championship, or going on social probation for a semester. But after returning from spring break, the fate that befell the brothers of Beta at the University of Florida may very well trump them all.

Quite a few members of the house simultaneously contracted a vicious norovirus. For those unfamiliar, it’s a horrible stomach bug that will have you doing your best Usain Bolt to find the nearest bathroom multiple times a day, for days on end.

From The Independent Florida Alligator:

The norovirus spread through 22 members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which led them to contact the Centers for Disease Control to investigate the incident.

Paul Myers, administrator for the Alachua County Health Department, said the outbreak is contained at the moment. Symptoms included vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Sounds absolutely dreadful.

I’m not usually one who cares for the welfare of pledges, but in this instance, I’ve really got to say I feel for them–even if they are spring guys. Cleaning a house day in and day out is horrible enough, so I don’t even want to begin to imagine the hell they endured when this infection was running rampant last week.

Health officials handling the case are unsure whether the gastrointestinal demon was something contracted from food in the fraternity house, or if it was picked up during spring break and brought into the house by some poor, unsuspecting victim.

There’s not much more to say other than I hope these Betas are handling the road to recovery well; ain’t nobody deserves to have their house desecrated like I imagine theirs has been as of late.

[via The Independent Florida Alligator]

Image via UFbeta.org