@parentologist , you appear to be arguing from a standpoint of what you would or would not have done as a healthcare provider. But the article says:
“But the university waited 18 days to tell the community after learning the virus was present on campus. Officials discussed — but decided against — notifying students with compromised immune systems and residents living in Elkton Hall, according to records reviewed by The Washington Post.”
It specifically cites a decision not to notify immunocompromised students. Regardless of whether or not she should have been living in that dorm, UMD messed up.
And why is a public announcement such a big deal, anyway? Every daycare will send out a note, “A child has tested positive for hand, foot, and mouth…Keep an eye out for…”
The article also says:
“The director of the university health center, in emails to administrators, acknowledged that “mold can cause respiratory irritation that may increase susceptibility of any viral infection.””
UMD is in deep doo-doo. And they know it. They immediately do damage control about complying with the law.
It’s Adenovirus and We didn’t get notified on the pediatric oncology ward when it hit. Of course, the standard of notification may be different for college students.
The story is heart wrenching. I feel terrible for the family and the loss of such a you g life is devastating. The story is written to make the university look like a bunch of callous villains. Dirty moldy dorm, no notification of a nasty virus while an immunosuppressed student is dying. The fact of the matter is, however, that it’s a large university and it’s doubtful these things are happening in the right space of time with focus on the events the way the story reads.
I’m no lawyer, so no idea if terrible events there is a viable case here. It would be up to the courts to decide if there is negligence or a disparate series of events that led to this tragedy
This troubling, tragic story isn’t just about the unfortunate death of a single student. Whether or not the university is legally justified in not notifying students and parents of a possible breakout is irrelevant - I’m ashamed and embarrassed by how my alma mater handled this situation, and I’m thankful I didn’t send my freshman girls there.
I posted below a few quotes from the “Virus detected on campus” section from the article. I think the university had an obligation to mention the adenovirus in the mass emailing McBride sent out, especially since he warned that there had been several cases of hand, foot, mouth disease - which is also common and contagious.
While adenovirus is a common virus, the exacerbating factor of the mold problem was making even healthy kids prone to serious respiratory illnesses. The article stated their health center was being “overwhelmed” with sick kids. Riley, the girl in the one video within the article, said she was dx with walking pneumonia and also developed mold-induced asthma (which she will have to live with for the rest of her life). Also, the NJ outbreak of the virulent strain of adenovirus was being widely reported at that time and with the mold and close quarters these kids lived in it made them even more at risk for an outbreak of their own.
“The virus was in the news: It had been linked to the deaths of children with weakened immune systems living at a long-term care facility in New Jersey. The outbreak ultimately killed 11 children and sickened more than two dozen others.”
“Certain strains can severely sicken healthy adults. The military has had multiple fatal outbreaks in barracks.”
*** A doctor informing McBride of a student hospitalized with adenovirus. “‘I thought it best that you know in case there are more,’ wrote the physician, James Campbell.”
During our college tours I usually look at the small dorm rooms and wonder: does anyone clean them when they turn over from one student to another? Anyone know?
At the end of the year, the rooms are cleaned. And again before turned over to new students for the new academic year, especially if used during the summer. However, they usually are not, if a roommate moves out and new one gets that space. At least, my experience. It varies among the schools.
I understand a lot of old dorms have mold, but is it usual that personal items and the entire undersides of furniture are covered in it too (picture in the article)? This sounds excessive.
This story is tragic, and there were clearly a number of links in the chain that led to this girl’s death. Undoubtedly the most tragic aspect of it is that she would probably have been fine just living in a different dorm, almost certainly at a different college.
Maybe this case will help spur a change in how infectious diseases are reported in high density living situations, taking into account that every population- even one largely comprised of young, healthy individuals - has at-risk segments. (And i don’t believe all those kids should be shut up at home, it’s generally not necessary.) The phrase “out of an abundance of caution” gets tossed around a lot, let’s use it somewhere where it really matters.
I think the mold was excessive there. Horribly excessive. My kid would have been moved out of the dorm on my insistence. one with a doctor’s note and possibly on the college’s Tab and the others I’d have paid. I would not have pulled them from school that term if I couldn’t afford to pay for the transition.
The young woman may have been spared had she lived in another dorm, but maybe not. Adenovirus is highly contagious and it was not just making the rounds at that form, and she had other health issues. However, it’s not just kids with immune system issues that can get a nasty case of this. Sometimes it’s a bad turn of events. One of my son’s friends died of swine flu at Cornell some years ago. A horrible fluke. He had no health issues. Just bad luck. I still hurt when I think of that.
Yes the mold in that dorm was excessive. The weather conditions that fall combined with an old building that had been retrofitted (poorly in retrospect) with A/C became a perfect storm for this excessive mold growth. I was prepared to move my daughter to a hotel for a few days early on to give her a break from the excessive heat and I would certainly have done the same if she had the mold issues that were present in Elkton.
If I had a student who was moving into Elkton or any of the other old dorms with A/C next year, I would absolutely be asking the administration to explain what they have done to eliminate the building-related issues that contributed to the mold. Obviously there is nothing they can do about the weather but they control the building heating/cooling/air circulation and should be held accountable for verifying whether they have addressed the known issues.
I don’t think this was a mild mold issue…it was a problem that should’ve been addressed ASAP. You shouldn’t have mold growing under desks and on shoes and clothes and other stuff…
There aren’t min requirements for mold levels because unless you are allergic to mold or have immuno issues, no definitive study that shows morbidity and mortality. When you sell or rent a house, lead paint, radon and certain other things have to be addressed. Not mold.
My niece and nephew are allergic to mold. Severely, so that they had to break a house rental lease and move. They have any residences professionally vetted for mold now, and also are careful about schools and other facilities they might frequent
I saw kids die from fungal pneumonia’s on the oncology ward. Amphotericin which was the treatment has terrible side effects and they often still had to remove the lung or parts of it.
I think it’s really a story about terrible inefficiency of our health system. A kid with compromised immune system who was sick for a while repeatedly consulted medical professionals and still wasn’t able to get a real diagnosis or treatment.
I once saw a mystery diagnosis episode where a person could not understand why she was so ill and doctors were stumped. Apparently the apartment next to her had a leak in the wall and mold was growing right near her bed. She had major long term lung issues as a result. It feels like they left those students in that dorm way too long after knowing it was an issue.
I agree with @bearcatfan , but I think it’s mostly limited to large universities. Relatedly, one thing I’ve been thinking about is campus health services. I think their role is somewhat analogous to human resources in a big company: It exists to protect the institution. Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but at a minimum decisions are made with the institution in mind