Community Education Health & Wellness
About 50 students at Discovery Elementary sick in suspected norovirus outbreak
About 50 students at Discovery Elementary School are sick in what the Tacoma-Pierce County Health District believes is an outbreak of norovirus.
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A Peninsula School District statement said school administrators identified a possible problem on Thursday, May 8. By Friday, 50 students were absent or went home early.
Norovirus is a highly contagious disease that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fever and headaches, among other symptoms.
The school district said it immediately notified the health district of the possible outbreak and alerted Discovery families to the situation Friday morning.
Peninsula Director of Strategic Communications Jake Voss wrote that the district implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and scheduled periodic restroom closures for additional disinfection.
The district also temporarily closed the kitchen at Discovery. Meals for students are being prepared off site, though the district said that “the investigation confirmed the school kitchen was not the source of illness.”
“The outbreak appears to have started outside the kitchen given the dates of some of the illnesses,” TPCHD spokesman Brett Cihon wrote in an email. “However, it’s difficult to confirm.”
Norovirus can spread through food, surfaces and personal contact, according to information from TPCHD. It is highly contagious and it can live on open surfaces for up to two weeks.
To limit spread of norovirus, the health district recommends washing hands frequently, disinfecting surfaces with bleach, and washing clothing in hot water.
TPCHD reported another Pierce County norovirus last fall at a Tacoma restaurant.
