Olivia Paregol's Family 'Thankful' For Hogan's Call For Investigation Into Adenovirus Outbreak At UMD
GLENWOOD, Md. (WJZ) -- The family of a University of Maryland student killed last year in an adenovirus outbreak that sickened dozens said they are thankful for Gov. Larry Hogan's call for an investigation into the university's handling of the outbreak.
The family of Olivia Paregol released a statement Friday, saying in part:
We hope that a truly independent body with no ties to the University of Maryland will examine the circumstances around the university's virus disclosures; determine what the university knew and when it knew about the outbreak; review the communications between the Prince George's County Dept. of Health, the State Dept. of Health, the CDC and other private and public health leaders; assess the university's compliance with its own documented infectious disease response policies; examine the timing associated with the health center's knowledge of the developing adenovirus outbreak and its responsibility to inform students.
Family members said the university's inaction, "demonstrates a reckless pattern of disregard for the health and safety of staff and students."
The chair of the Board of Regents Friday said it will begin a review of the university's handling of the outbreak, a move Hogan's spokesperson Michael Ricci called "a step in the right direction."
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Thursday, Hogan called the university's handling of the situation "disturbing" and said a thorough investigation is necessary.
Last week, Olivia Paregol's family took a number of steps toward legal action against the school.
"The University, you know, just failed the students," Olivia's father Ian Paregol said. "Failed Olivia, in every possible way."
Olivia's father spoke with WJZ last week and said that the University of Maryland is responsible for the death of his daughter.
"We feel that they are 100 percent responsible for the ultimate outcome here and Olivia paid the price of their decision to put their public relations ahead of their public health."
Olivia Paregol died November 18 after contracting the virus.
It was not until the day after Olivia Paregol died that the University sent out a campus alert about the adenovirus.
Friday afternoon, the Board of Regents met by phone and read a prepared statement.
"The Regents and campus community throughout our system share in this loss and grieve with the Paregol family," the statement read.
The system said that an independent review has been opened into the matter.