At least 78 students at the University of Southern California have been treated for a contagious gastrointestinal virus infection, according to university school officials.

The victims of the infection arrived at the campus clinic complaining of vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, university spokesman James Grant asserted.

Early Saturday, all students were alerted via e-mail and cell phone messages by university officials. On top of that, they were strongly advised to avoid the USC Trojans and Oregon football game at the Coliseum.

School officials believe this is not a food-borne illness. "It looks like it's a human-contact virus, a stomach flu," Grant stated.
Health officials from the USC didn’t recommend a full-scale quarantine. Instead, students feeling not very well should stay home, take many fluids and avoid socializing “until they are feeling better” in order not to infect other people, said Larwrence Neinstein, M.D., of the University Park Health Center.

Generally, the illness’s incubation period is of 24- to 48 hours. However, it “may be as short as 12 hours."

The notification said the suspected virus, which is self-limiting, can be contagious for more than a few days after an individual gets well. In view of this aspect, school officials advised everybody to wash their hands very often, above all after eating, preparing food, and of course, after going to the restroom.