Nearly 100 kids, staff at Kansas elementary school come down with norovirus
Parents were shocked by how many students were infected with the stomach bug in such a short amount of time
Nearly 100 kids and staff at an elementary school in Kansas have contracted norovirus in an outbreak that rocked the community.
Students began coming down with the stomach bug earlier this month at Bentwood Elementary School in Overland Park, outside Kansas City.
“I was surprised we had such a heavy amount of it so quickly,” Bentwood Elementary parent Samantha Pedraza told news outlet KCTV.
“Normally, we have the flu come through, cold, things like that, but it never usually balloons that fast or takes out that many kids at a time, so that was a little unexpected and a little more concerning.”
Ninety-five people inside the school and another two family members contracted the virus, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Charlie Hunt told KCTV. Though, Hunt cautioned that the 97 cases are likely an undercount given norovirus’ contagiousness.
Hunt said the first case was reported on October 5, and just seven days later, the school reported enough similar illnesses that county officials were contacted.
Throughout the outbreak, Brentwood Elementary custodians conducted additional daily disinfections of high-touch surfaces and high-traffic areas, the Olathe School District said in KCTV’s report.
Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A person usually develops symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus. Most people infected with the virus get better within one to three days, but they can continue to spread it for a few days after.
“It spreads easily in settings such as schools, where students and staff are in close contact,” Ashley Follett, public information officer for the local Department of Health and Environment, told The Independent.
“Frequent handwashing with soap and water, thorough cleaning and disinfection of contaminated surfaces, and staying home when sick remain important steps to prevent transmission. Individuals should stay home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms stop.”
The department confirmed Wednesday that they consider the outbreak to be over, as there haven’t been any new cases reported since October 13.
But local health officials “will continue to monitor the situation and provide public health guidance as needed,” Follett said.