Disease outbreak, October 11, 2017
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedBeginning October 11, 2017, a gastrointestinal illness began spreading rapidly across the Georgia Tech campus after students returned from fall break. By October 24, Stamps Health Services had treated 136 patients with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and body aches, and the illness was confirmed as norovirus on October 25 by Fulton County Department of Health and Emory University laboratory analysis. No common food source was identified, and the university issued a public health advisory urging students to stay home while symptomatic and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water as the primary prevention measure.
- Alerts
- 2
- Response
- —
- Killed
- 0
- Injured
- 136
Alert Sequence
2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim
Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.
How the first alert is built
To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.
Stamps Health Services, with the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness (FCDH) and the Georgia Department of Health, has identified the unknown gastrointestinal illness (infection affecting the stomach and/or intestines) that has been spreading on campus as norovirus. Norovirus was confirmed in samples by both FCDH and Emory University on October 25th. It is unknown how this easily spread virus came to the Georgia Tech campus. It began to spread after students returned to campus from fall break. No common food source, activity, or dining or residence location has been identified as the origin. Between October 11th and October 24th, Stamps Health Services has seen 136 patients with symptoms of the illness. Additionally, as of October 20th, 226 people completed the FCDH’s survey regarding the illness with 194 people reporting having had symptoms of a norovirus infection. While Stamps Health Services has begun to see a decline in the number of students coming in for treatment, norovirus can continue to circulate on college campuses for weeks to months if proper steps are not taken to prevent spread. Dining Services and Housing, in addition to other campus department such as Campus Recreation, the Student Center, West Village, and Parking and Transportation, continue to use enhanced cleaning procedures to help prevent additional spread of norovirus on campus. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is commonly referred to as the “stomach bug” that causes your stomach and/or intestines to get inflamed. Preventing the spread of norovirus at Georgia Tech is everyone’s responsibility. Proper hand hygiene, in addition to maintaining good personal hygiene, is essential for preventing the spread of norovirus. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water especially after using the toilet and always before eating, preparing or handling food. We ask all Georgia Tech community members to follow these simple steps to help prevent spread of this illness and other easily-spread infections: If you are currently experiencing symptoms, contact Stamps Health Services for an appointment (404-894-1420). For more information about norovirus, visit cdc.gov/norovirus Jessica V. Kolis Communications Manager Health & Well-Being
Sourceabsent0/0
Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.
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Hazardabsent0/0
What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.
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Locationabsent0/0
Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.
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Guidanceabsent0/0
The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.
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Timeabsent0/0
When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.
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Impactabsent0/0
What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.
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Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.
About this analysisBackground
Key Findings
Sources
- Official
- Official
- Official
- News
- national media
Campus Alert Archive. "Georgia Institute of Technology: Disease outbreak, October 11, 2017." Incident of October 11, 2017. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/georgia-tech-norovirus-outbreak-2017-10-11/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.