On Sept. 27, Hilltop Cafe, was closed under investigation for potential food poisoning. Health officials confirmed that norovirus was the cause of symptoms that affected Central Connecticut State University students, safety protocols have been lifted.
“I’ve been sick for like a week now but it’s really not that bad,” Colin Kelly, one of less than 10 students who reported symptoms, said.
Kelly had symptoms for a week leading up to the closure of Hilltop Cafe.
“I threw up once but other than that it’s just been nausea and I could put up with it,” Kelly said.
Noah Derby another affected student, also ate at Hilltop Cafe the night he became sick.
“Last night I went to Hilltop, as usual, and got the mac and cheese,” he said. “Then last night at around two in the morning I felt really sick and I got sick basically every hour until the morning.”
Hilltop Cafe was cleared to reopen and resume normal hours by the City of New Britain Health Department on Sept. 29 and there have not been any cases reported since, Jodi Latina, Associate Vice President of Communications and Media, wrote in an email to all students, staff and faculty.
The City Health Department, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the State Laboratory confirmed through tests that norovirus caused the illness, not a food source, Latina wrote in the email.
Amid the norovirus outbreak, several safety measures were implemented on campus to decrease the spread of germs.
High-touch points such as vending machines, touchscreen order kiosks and self-serve stations in the dining halls were limited. These restrictions have since been lifted. Silverware in the dining halls were replaced with plasticware as well.
“The change was temporary. We are back to using silverware,” Jeffrey Dressler, General Manager of CCSU Dining said.
