The Pitbull Plague strikes USD

We at the hotel, motel, quarantining

Colin Mullaney / Assistant News Editor / The USD Vista

The return of large outdoor gatherings ushered in a wave of concerts in the San Diego area, which many students have taken advantage of within the first few weeks of the fall semester. From Pitbull to Quinn XCII to Luke Bryan, students are starting to attend more and more  shows by their favorite artists, but not without certain unintended consequences. One month into the semester, a large number of students are reporting illness with a serious cold or even flu-like symptoms (reportedly not COVID-19) following concert attendances, causing some to dub it the “Pitbull Plague.” The University Health Center reported being so inundated with an influx of students beyond its capacity that it has started to refer students to outside healthcare providers, due to lack of appointment availability.

It is not difficult to understand why concerts could serve as a venue for disease transmission. At the Pitbull concert on Sept. 19, the vast majority of student attendees were crowded on the lawn, where they pushed and shoved in an effort to find a better vantage point to see the man of the hour. Those who were in attendance described the atmosphere of the lawn as closely resembling that of a mosh pit, with such close quarters that one could hardly move in any given direction. Each time the crowd surged forward, attendees were powerless to control their momentum and instead collided into one another with great force and regularity.

 Within days of attending the Pitbull concert, USD sophomore, Julia Bohanon, experienced the onset of several alarming symptoms.

“I developed an itching sensation in my throat that led to a cough. I have a stuffy nose and clogged sinuses. The worst part is feeling short of breath,” Bohanon said.

Bohanon clarified that the concert was likely the origin of her sickness.

“I haven’t been to any huge gatherings recently other than the Pitbull concert, so I’m pretty certain that’s where I contracted this illness,” Bohanon stated.

USD sophomore, Lucy Goldman, also experienced identical symptoms to Bohanon, namely congestion, sore throat, and a persistent cough. 

“My first symptoms were a sore throat and congestion. I remember waking up one morning and feeling very congested and my throat hurt pretty bad. I had a low fever (99.5),” Goldman expressed. “After around three days of being congested and having a sore throat, I started developing a dry cough, which then became a phlegmy cough.” 

Although Goldman did not attend Mr. Worldwide’s (Pitbull) performance, she did clarify that concert attendance was likely responsible for her illness.

“I did attend three other concerts (Dayglow, Surfaces, and Luke Bryan). I definitely think my first concert, which was Dayglow, could’ve been a source of transmission,” Goldman said.“All three of my roommates also went to these concerts, and we all have the same symptoms that started around the same time.” 

Due to the ongoing global pandemic, both Bohanon and Goldman became concerned that their symptoms could have been caused by COVID-19, despite widespread vaccination and preventative measures, so both opted to get tested.

 Bohanon went to see a doctor not long after symptoms set in.

“I started feeling really sick Friday, and it was hard to breathe, so I figured I should see a doctor rather quickly,” Bohanon reported “The Student Wellness Center at USD didn’t have any appointments until the following Monday, so I went to a local urgent care center. I was there for five hours due to extremely long wait times. I tested negative for COVID and ruled out pneumonia with a chest X-ray.” 

Goldman also made efforts to get tested out of caution.

“I was definitely concerned that I might have gotten COVID when I first started having symptoms,” Goldman said. “I didn’t want to spread whatever I had, so I didn’t go to class for a few days and made an appointment to get tested for COVID.” 

Goldman explained the route that she chose in order to be tested.

“I made an appointment at a CVS Minute Clinic and got tested there, and luckily I was negative for COVID-19,” Goldman said.” “My other roommate who had similar symptoms tried to go to the Student Health Center but said she had a frustrating experience, so that is why I decided to go to a third party. It was super easy to make an appointment at the Minute Clinic, and it was convenient too.” 

Although both Bohanon and Goldman were able to find a suitable alternative, their inability to access the Student Health Center raises clear concerns. In the meantime, other students combating similar illnesses are advised to treat their symptoms as though they might be COVID-19, avoid classes, and get tested as soon as possible. Though inconvenient, the “Pitbull Plague” luckily does not seem as devastating as its predecessor, COVID-19; it is likely a natural consequence of returning to in-person events after more than a year of reduced contact and immune activity, but only time will tell for sure.