North Bridge House Preparatory School reopens today after norovirus outbreak
The London school was reopened for classes Monday after a three-day cleaning and sanitizing regimen was performed by contractors after the school was closed Friday after more than 200 pupils and staff were stricken with the gastrointestinal bug, norovirus.
Norovirus Image/CDC
Health inspectors ruled the winter vomiting bug was present at North Bridge House Preparatory School. The building in Gloucester Avenue was being cleansed today amid fears the virus could spread to the school’s other buildings, according to a London Evening Standard report.
In a letter from Associate Head, Siobhan McGrath, “all 4 North Bridge House sites will be certificated as clean as of this evening following a 3 day program by our contractors.”
She also stressed that if any students become ill, they must remain at home for 48 hours after their last symptoms have ended. It is also important to regularly ensure your children wash and dry their hands thoroughly and regularly to avoid any further infection being spread.
Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” or gastroenteritis in people.
The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. In most people, the illness is self-limiting with symptoms lasting for about 1 or 2 days. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults do.
Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.
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