Norovirus Sickens Hundreds of Students at Long Island High School, Officials Believe - NBC New York

A sour stomach can often be an easy excuse for kids to skip school, but a very real stomach bug spread through a high school on Long Island.

Hundreds of students have been out sick in the last week, and now health officials believe they know what it is.

Some of the roughly 700 students at Babylon's Junior Senior High School have felt their stomachs turning in an outbreak that began on March 17, school officials said. It was after a school assembly and then a dance Friday night that 80 illnesses were reported.

By Monday, school officials said 253 students were reported absent. By Thursday, 112 were still out. Both days' absentee counts were far higher than normal, according to the school.

Suffolk County's health commissioner said that what happened at the high school appears to be an outbreak of norovirus.

"It unfortunately happens like that. It can spread very quickly," said Dr. Gregson Pigott. "What happens is you have some contamination on your hands, and then you're touching door knobs, railings — and then people touch that."

An illness passed by direct contact with people, contaminated surfaces or even food, the CDC said the percentage of norovirus cases has roughly doubled since December.

"The good thing with norovirus is that it passes through you…and in a day day and a half you're fine, back to normal," said Dr. Pigott.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Learn how it spreads and how you can help prevent getting it.

But still, it's an unpleasant couple of days for those who contract it.

"We have a bucket we call the sick bucket. I couldn't believe the amount that came out of him," said June Trujillo, who had two grandsons get sick as a result.

School officials said that after the outbreak was reported, school buildings were sanitized — but they continue to urge students to take precautions to protect themselves.

Common Norovirus Symptoms

Norovirus is a common stomach virus that is highly contagious, and can be spread through food and person to person contact. Sharing eating utensils, changing diapers, consuming contaminated food or drinks, or touching infected surfaces or objects can lead to infections, the Health Department says.

In addition to vomiting and diarrhea, common symptoms include nausea, stomach cramps, fever, chills, aches and tiredness

Doctors say the best way to avoid the virus is to wash your hands often. While it is called gastroenteritis or the "stomach flu," noroviruses are not related to the flu, a.k.a. influenza.

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