Norovirus outbreak sickens dozens of Gig Harbor students
Discovery Elementary School said 50 people have gotten sick since Thursday, but the illness didn't start in their kitchen.
Out of those 50, 35 of them are still recovering at home.
University of Washington Professor Dr. Ferric Fang said the virus is highly contagious.
'The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,' Fang told KIRO 7.
The Peninsula School District said they are actively working with the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department to stop the outbreak.
Also noting the health department's 'investigation confirmed the school kitchen was not the source of illness, we have implemented precautionary measures.'
Fang said a norovirus outbreak of any size isn't uncommon, especially in crowded settings.
'It's normal for it to be in a school, it's so infectious the schools can't control it, for students and staff, it's a nightmare dealing with it,' Fang said.
The district told KIRO 7 the school kitchen was closed yesterday for cleaning and making sure nobody preparing the food is sick.
Today, they said the threat is clear and the kitchen is open again.
Doctors said most people get the virus multiple times in their life.
'It's an aggravating problem, even though most people don't die and get over it on their own there's no specific treatment for it,' Fang said.
The health department said they are working with the school this week to ensure everything is properly cleaned and the outbreak is contained.
The full statement from the Peninsula School District can be seen below:
'On Thursday, May 8, Discovery Elementary identified multiple students displaying symptoms of gastroenteritis, prompting staff to follow district protocols by sending affected students home and notifying the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department when absence numbers reached the reporting threshold.
By Friday, May 9, approximately 50 students were either absent or sent home with similar symptoms. Following their investigation, TPCHD suspects norovirus as the cause affecting both students and staff. Our school team promptly communicated with all Discovery Elementary families Friday morning, sharing TPCHD's guidance that children and staff showing symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea should remain home until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Although the investigation confirmed the school kitchen was not the source of illness, we have implemented these precautionary measures:
· Temporarily closed the Discovery Elementary kitchen for thorough sanitization
· Arranged for meal preparation at an alternate location, with packaged breakfast and lunch options provided to students
· Enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the building
· Scheduled periodic restroom closures during school hours for additional disinfection
We appreciate our partnership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and the quick response from our health services team, custodial staff, and school administrators."
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