Norovirus suspected as 150 people at Boston elementary school fall ill

A Boston elementary school got a deep-cleaning this week after 150 people became ill with what is believed to be norovirus, Boston health officials said. Condon Elementary School in South Boston first notified officials Monday evening, and an infectious disease team visited the school Tuesday, said McKenzie Ridings, a spokeswoman for the Boston Public Health Commission.

Ridings said 140 students and 10 teachers are sick with what they suspect is norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus that causes vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Symptoms usually last one or two days.

Lee McGuire, spokesman for Boston Public Schools, said students started falling ill Friday. Additional cleaning crews have been brought in since Monday to perform two rounds of sanitizing and clean all surfaces.

“We sanitize any surface that students touch: desks, knobs, floors, sinks,” McGuire said.

Parents have been advised through phone calls and newsletters to keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after their symptoms subside. Classes at the school, which has about 800 students, are continuing as normal, but additional nursing staffers, soap and hand sanitizers have been added.

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