Hundreds of students sickened in possible norovirus outbreak at Louisiana school

Of the 1,100 students at Hammond (La.) Westside Montessori, 169 were out sick Monday with suspected norovirus, according to WWL-TV.

Approximately 350 students were out sick with the stomach virus March 23. Administrators closed the school the following day to conduct a thorough sanitation of the facility, which continued into the weekend. Several faculty members have also been affected by the outbreak.

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Symptoms of norovirus include stomach pain, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. The virus can be spread via person-to-person contact and contact with contaminated surfaces and food. On average, the illness contributes to 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and 570 to 800 deaths each year, according to the CDC.

More articles on infection control: 
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