Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Governor Larry Hogan’s making good on a promise to hold the University of Maryland’s administrators accountable to keep students safe after a student died from adenovirus. Thursday he sent the University of Maryland Board of Regents a letter calling for an immediate investigation into the handling of the adenovirus outbreak, which killed one student and made at least 30 others sick.
Olivia Paregol died of adenovirus Nov. 18, 2018, months after football player Jordan McNair died of heatstroke June 13, 2018 after not being properly cooled down at practice. The Board of Regents investigated the school’s response to McNair’s death too.
A Washington Post investigation found school officials waited 18 days to tell other students about Paregol’s death.
“According to published reports, university officials chose not to disclose confirmed and suspected cases of adenovirus to students and families,” wrote Hogan. “Just as, if not more disturbing, is the revelation the university held on to this potentially life-saving information for weeks.”
Hogan also wrote that McNair’s death prompted multiple investigations and brought to light inadequacies in how the university death with a medical emergency.
“Unfortunately, I am deeply concerned that the University learned nothing from that troubling and tragic episode,” Hogan said.
He said – just like with McNair’s death – the results of the board’s investigation need to be made public, and if any employees are found to have been negligent, “it is vital that you take swift action.”
Several members of the school’s athletic staff were put on administrative leave as McNair’s death was being investigated. Conditioning coach Rick Court resigned, and university system president Wallace Loh fired head football coach DJ Durkin. Two other trainers were also let go. Loh is set to retire in June of 2020.
Meanwhile, Paregol’s parents are taking steps to sue the school system. A notice of claim under the Maryland Tort Claims Act said the university waited too long to tell students about the outbreak and to get rid of mold in dorms, including their daughter’s.
Copyright 2019 WMAL. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: University of Maryland via Twitter)
