Vomiting bug blamed for 250 sick UL students

A SICKNESS which struck up to 250 students at a Limerick college has been narrowed down to the winter vomiting bug.

An analysis of samples confirmed illnesses were caused by the norovirus.

Some of the students had attended a college function in the city’s South Court Hotel last weekend.

The college said: “Contrary to recent speculation, these incidents are not connected to the recent Student Union’s Ball which was held at the South Court Hotel last Friday night.”

Meanwhile, the Lynch hotel group said last night: “We are obviously sorry to hear students and staff of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick are ill. However, we were always confident that health procedures and the quality of our food are to the highest standards and that people had not become ill, due to attendance at one of our hotels.”

A spokesperson added: “I am particularly proud of how the management and staff of the South Court Hotel have performed over the very stressful last few days when unfounded conclusions had been drawn.”

The statement added: “We look forward to hosting many events for the college into the future.”

Meanwhile, the college said:

“Despite the fact that no new cases of the virus have been presented since Tuesday, we have taken the decision to implement effective control measures, including the suspension of all college activities to facilitate the intensive cleaning and sanitisation of the campus so as to prevent a secondary introduction of the virus.”