About 175 students and supervisors from Breda University of Applied Sciences fell ill during an orientation camp in Belgium. According to preliminary findings from the regional public health service (GGD), norovirus might be the cause. However, it cannot yet be fully determined whether that was the sole trigger of the outbreak, Omroep Brabant reports.

About 800 students and supervisors from Breda were at a campsite in Poppel, Belgium, when around 175 became ill. “Several” were taken to a hospital for dehydration.

The virus is very contagious and causes a stomach flu, which results from the gastrointestinal track being inflamed.

“Stool samples from several participants were tested, and norovirus was detected,” the West-Brabant GGD said. “This could very well be the cause of the symptoms and the large outbreak.”

Recently in Blegium, hundreds fell ill after eating eggs contaminated with salmonella. The university had first thought that might also be the case for the 175 Dutch.

How the virus was spread at the Poppel campsite is also not yet clear. It can reportedly happen through contaminated toilets, hands, surfaces, food, and vomit.

The university told Omroep Brabant that all those who fell ill have fully recovered or are still recovering.