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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Two more students have probable cases of swine flu

The number of GW students with probable cases of swine flu now stands at five, according to a University news release Wednesday afternoon.

The D.C. Department of Health has told the University that two additional students are suspected to be probable cases of the virus, which has now infected a confirmed 642 people nationwide. There continue to be no confirmed cases at GW, according to the release.

Four of the five students with probable cases are no longer contagious, according to the release, and the fifth student is recovering rapidly following treatment. University spokeswoman Tracy Schario declined to comment on how many flu swabs have been sent from GW to the D.C. Department of Health for further testing.

“As with previous probable cases, GW acted immediately following initial influenza diagnosis, following our procedure of moving the students to private rooms to limit exposure to other students, informing those in close personal contact and providing them with information about symptoms, treatment and prevention,” the release said.

To combat additional cases of the virus – which, nationally, have mainly not been severe and are “comparable in severity to seasonal influenza,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site – the University has placed hand sanitizers in residence hall lobbies and stepped up cleaning efforts in areas like “libraries and dining spaces,” the release said.

Two students were announced as probable cases at a press conference last Friday, and a third probable case was announced Monday in a GW Infomail.

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