Nearly 800 students were absent at an elementary school in America on Wednesday after health officials announced a “gastrointestinal outbreak” in the district.
Fairhope West Elementary School in Alabama announced it was closing through Friday after 50 staff members and 773 students were absent on Wednesday, Baldwin County Public Schools spokesperson Chasity Riddick said, AL.com reported.
Riddick said that not all student absences were due to sickness, and it is unclear exactly how many students were ill.
She added that symptoms of viral gastrointestinal illness appeared in the school on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning, more students and school staff became sick.
Baldwin County Schools Superintendent Eddie Tyler said in a message to parents: “After careful consideration, we have decided to close Fairhope West through Friday, March 1.”
Tyler added: “Due to the amount of staff and students who are absent, the number who are experiencing symptoms, and in an effort to help contain the contagion, we unfortunately need to shut the building down.
“While out, we will be conducting a deep cleaning of the school so when students return next week, it will be sanitized to the fullest extent. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.”
In a warning about symptoms, Alabama Department of Health officials told AL.com vomiting and nausea is common.
Infectious Diseases and Outbreak staff from the agency have sent specimen collection materials for testing through the health department’s Bureau of Clinical Laboratories.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highly contagious norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses can spread quickly through places like schools due to the “amount of group contact.”
At nearby Fairhope East Elementary School, Principal Christina Stacey said in a letter to parents that the school is “continuing to monitor the situation with the virus affecting many of us and those around us.”
Stacey added: “I would like for you to strongly consider, if you can, keeping your student home for the rest of the week. Absences will be excused and school work will be allowed to be made up.
“This is only a suggestion at this point, but it comes on the heels of Fairhope West being shut down. Like them, we are trying to keep the contagion low.”
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