SAN JOSE (KRON) — A San Jose elementary school is dealing with an outbreak of the stomach flu.
Dozens of kids have stayed home from classes this week, and the school district is doing what it can to keep the illness from spreading.
On Monday, five students at Bachrodt Elementary School called out sick. Their symptoms were consistent with the norovirus, a fast-moving illness that can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
On Tuesday, 19 students were out, and on Wednesday, 27 students were out.
In an effort stop the virus from spreading, the school has canceled some extracurricular activities, roped off playground equipment, and sent all students home with fliers on how to avoid spreading the norovirus.
“My kids haven’t been sick yet, so…couple of their friends have had it,” parent Mary Haertel said.
Haertel has five kids at the school. She said they are disappointed that some things were canceled, but she feels the school is handling the situation appropriately.
“Yes. They’ve kept us in the loop…,” Haertel said.
A few weeks ago, a similar outbreak hit nearby Horace Mann Elementary School. In that case, more than 100 students and faculty became sick over several weeks.
That school was cleaned top to bottom, and kids were encouraged to wash their hands to stop the virus from spreading.
The San Jose Unified School District said it appears the illness is moving through the community, but they are confident it can be brought under control.
“It’s pretty common,” San Jose school district official Stephen McMahon said. “I mean it’s very regular that places where a high number of students congregate, illnesses are going to spread. So, it’s not something that is new to us. We deal with it. We have a protocol. And we are really invested in making sure the health of students is protected at all times.”
Back at Bachrodt Elementary, the containment effort appears to be working. On Thursday, 16 kids called in sick but only four of those cases were new.
It is also unlikely the outbreak will last much longer because there are only four days left before school lets out for the summer.