LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — At least 71 people at a local elementary school were sickened in a suspected outbreak of norovirus, the Southern Nevada Health District announced on Thursday.
The gastrointestinal illness outbreak was reported among students and staff at Wayne N. Tanaka Elementary School on Jan. 27, health officials stated.
Of those 71 cases, two were confirmed through laboratory resting. The other 69 "met the criteria to be considered a probable case" based on interviews with those who fell ill, the Health District reports.
The Clark County School District confirmed a letter informing parents of the outbreak was sent the final week of January. The school's principal said administrators were working with SNHD and the district's Health Services Department to prevent further illness.
"Norovirus is very contagious and spreads from person to person," the Health District stated in a news release. It can spread either through direct contact with an infected person, through consuming contaminated food or water, or if someone touches a contaminated surface and puts their unwashed hands in their mouth, health officials said.
Las Vegas based family medicine physician Dr. Daliah Wachs said most cases aren't serious and recovery time is quick. But there's one thing to note for parents with kids.
"The big concern we have with kids in this age group is dehydration," said Wachs. "When they're vomiting and they have diarrhea, it's really difficult for them to keep up their nutrition and to keep up their fluids. So it's vital for moms and dads to continue to push fluids."
Symptoms of norovirus usually manifest within 12 to 48 hours of exposure, health officials said, adding that most people will recover within one to three days. Common symptoms of the stomach illness include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Infected people may also experience fever, headache and body aches.
To protect yourself from norovirus exposure, SNHD recommends washing your hands thoroughly with soap and running water — especially after using the toilet or changing a diaper and before eating, drinking, preparing or handling food.
Wachs said norovirus could start anywhere. It's unclear where this particular outbreak started. But Wachs said because the 71 cases were all tied to one place, it's easier to trace.
"Whenever there are school outbreaks, the first thing they do is they look at who might have been sick first and who was around them and then if it was a food source and they could test straight," said Wachs.
You can find more information about norovirus on the Health District's website here.
