25-04-2025
Two Jefferson Area elementary schools closed due to rash outbreak
JEFFERSON, Ohio (WJW) — A rash outbreak has forced two elementary schools in the Jefferson Area Local School District to close for cleaning.
Both Jefferson Elementary and Rock Creek Elementary were shut down Friday after multiple students reportedly developed a viral and contagious rash. The closures come as Ashtabula County continues to deal with public health concerns, including a recent measles outbreak that infected 16 people earlier this month, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
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'There are still a lot of unknowns,' said Heidi Hale, a mother of two elementary students. 'I didn't really know what was going on. It was pretty much word of mouth on Facebook about the rash. The only thing the school posted was that they were closed so they could properly disinfect.'
In a statement, Superintendent John Montanaro said the district decided to close the schools as a precaution due to uncertainty surrounding the cause of the rash.
'The closure will provide time to thoroughly disinfect and sanitize all school buildings and buses and implement additional safety precautions to help prevent further spread,' Montanaro said via email.
The Ashtabula County Health Department was notified immediately and is working with the school district to mitigate any potential spread. In a statement, the health department said:
'We strongly encourage any parent who has an ill child to take them to see a doctor for an official diagnosis and treatment. At this time, the county is seeing increased activity in some local schools of parvovirus (Fifth disease), but without a diagnosis, the Ashtabula County Health Department can't definitively say that this is what the Jefferson staff are seeing.'
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Fifth disease — also known as 'slapped cheek' — is caused by parvovirus B19 and is characterized by a bright red facial rash. It mainly affects children but can also occur in adults. The illness typically resolves on its own within several days but is highly contagious and can spread through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing or close conversation.
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Hale said the sudden closure is concerning, and her daughter is dealing with a light, dry skin rash on her leg.
'Very worried, very scary,' she said. 'My son has already been in and out of the hospital due to other reasons. The last thing I want is for a kid to be sick and in the hospital — not even just mine, anybody's. So as a mom, it's a very big concern. There are some serious illnesses going around out there.'
The rash outbreak follows a measles outbreak in the county this month and a scarlet fever outbreak that led to the temporary closure of Kingsville Elementary just over a month ago.
Health officials said they will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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