BROADVIEW HEIGHTS – Dozens of students were sent home from school after an illness sweeps through a Northeast Ohio middle school.
The superintendent for the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school district says at the end of the school day Wednesday 45 students reported feeling sick
Custodians worked overtime throughout the evening disinfecting tables, chairs and other surfaces inside the cafeteria at Brecksville-Broadview Heights Middle School.
The goal is to wipe down surfaces throughout the school that could be infected by the norovirus, often called the “stomach flu.”
“A lot of people were like throwing up in the middle of school, it was crazy, I went in the bathroom and people were lined up throwing up, it was very surprising,” said Tanner Watson, an 8th grader at the school.
The school district’s superintendent tells Fox 8 that by 8:45 Wednesday morning, 25 students had reported feeling ill. As more students began complaining of vomiting, nausea and diarrhea, school officials contacted the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
By the end of the day, 45 students were ill.
“The school district is working with us to make sure that they’re cleaning surfaces that are often touched by hands, things like doorknobs, surfaces of school desks, you know, within the school environment. These are places where there is often a lot of touching going on,” said Terry Allan, director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
Allan says the norovirus spreads fast in institutions like schools.
He is urging students and cafeteria staff to be vigilant. The district sent out a notice to parents advising them on how to respond if their child becomes sick and how to prevent them from falling ill, if they are not already.
“It’s really hand to hand transmission, inadequate hand washing is a factor, we want to make sure that people are as they’re using the restroom, they’re washing their hands, especially young kids that don’t think about that at the level that they should,” Allan said.
Health officials suggest sick students stay home, get lots of rest and drink fluids.
“They just said wash your hands, don’t touch your face, I’m not concerned,” said parent Ruth Georgevich.
“It does concern me, but I appreciate the advice and them notifying me,” said parent Darlene Estell.