Mocobizscene – A gastrointestinal illness outbreak is currently under investigation by public health officials in Alabama, leading to the closure of a school on Thursday. Nearly 800 students were absent from school as a result of this outbreak.
WALA- TV reports that 29 Fairhope West Elementary School pupils missed class on Tuesday. Overnight, the number soared into the hundreds, and half of the school’s personnel were absent on Wednesday.
According to Chasity Riddick, the spokesperson for Baldwin County Public Schools, it is important to note that not all of the 773 students and 50 staff members who were absent on Wednesday were sick. In fact, some parents were informed that they could keep their children at home and their absences would be excused due to the spreading illness. As reported by WPMI-TV, only 201 students attended school on that day.
“We will be conducting a thorough cleaning of the school while we are out, ensuring that it is fully sanitized for the students’ return next week,” Tyler explained. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Please take care of yourselves and your families.”
The Alabama Department of Public Health is currently investigating a gastrointestinal outbreak, and the school system is collaborating with health officials to address the issue. ADPH Chief Medical Officer Karen Landers stated that the reported symptoms are limited to nausea and vomiting. In response, the ADPH Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks staff has provided specimen collection materials for testing through the ADPH Bureau of Clinical Laboratories.
According to Alison Rudd, the Health Services Coordinator for Baldwin County Public Schools, students have been experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, and stomach pain. She mentioned that it is not uncommon for these types of illnesses to spread in schools during this time of year. While the illness has not been confirmed yet, the school is treating it as if it were norovirus, a highly contagious virus known for causing outbreaks on cruise ships and other similar settings.
According to the CDC, norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses can easily spread in places like cruise ships because of the high level of group contact. Recently, the Queen Victoria, a luxury ship making stops in the U.S., experienced an outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness. Over 150 passengers and crew members reported symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, prompting the CDC to launch an investigation.
