Authorities announced that Wilson Middle School would be closed on Nov. 19, out of an abundance of caution, for a suspected Norovirus outbreak after several students reported feeling unwell around lunchtime.
The announcement was made by Superintendent James Anderson, who notified the community on Nov. 18. The closure of Wilson Middle School in Michigan comes as an initial investigation into the incident considered a possible food-related cause. The local Health Department advised that Norovirus was the most likely illness.
Suspected Norovirus Outbreak Forces School Closure
The closure will allow maintenance workers to thoroughly disinfect the entire building to ensure that no other student gets sick. On top of this, the district removed the scheduled turkey entree from the menu at elementary and high schools this week to avoid potential food-related infections.
Additionally, replacement items were being secured and would be finalized sometime soon, with authorities asking families to plan accordingly. Norovirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis and can quickly spread through contaminated food, person-to-person contact, or surfaces, according to Click on Detroit.
The illness is sometimes known as the "stomach flu," but it is completely unrelated to influenza, which primarily affects an individual's respiratory system. Symptoms of Norovirus include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, which typically last one to two days.
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Most of the people who are infected with the illness recover without any medical attention, but severe cases can result in dehydration, particularly among young children and the elderly. The students and staff who experienced symptoms are advised to stay home until 48 hours after symptoms fade.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised that in order to slow down the spread of Norovirus, people should wash their hands often, cook shellfish thoroughly, wash fruits and vegetables, clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces, and wash laundry with hot water, CBS News reported.
Outbreak of a Disease
The incident comes as another illness, measles, has been spreading throughout various states, with some seeing an outbreak for the first time. Health officials linked the measles outbreak that started in Texas to another seen in Arizona and Utah.
This disturbing finding could end the United States' status as a country that has long eliminated the disease. It was revealed that the chain of transmission started in January, in a conservative Mennonite group on the western edge of Texas. It then spread to Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Countries can lose their elimination status after 12 months of sustained transmission of a particular disease. If the U.S. is unable to extinguish the measles outbreak by January next year, it will lose its elimination status, which it has held for 25 years, as per the New York Times.
