Apr 17, 2009 7:06 pm US/Eastern
Mystery Illnesses Sack Westchester, L.I. Schools
Hundreds Sickened By Norovirus At Horace Greeley High In Chappaqua; Dozens Taken Ill At Amityville School
CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. (CBS) ―
A suburban high school closed earlier Friday after dozens of students and teachers came down with flu-like symptoms.
Westchester County health inspectors left Horace Greeley High School after formulating a plan to battle a virus that's making students violently ill and prompted Friday's early dismissal.
"Rumors of like 160 people not in school today -- and in one of my classes we had a test and 10 people weren't there," junior Karan Jin said.
"She just felt very nauseous, this was at 6 last night, and by the time she got home she got very sick and was sick all night long," parent Bill Weinberg said.
One woman's daughter was one of the many students and faculty the bug has hit. The Health Department says it's the pesky norovirus, which causes nausea vomiting and diarrhea. It cannot be treated with antibiotics, so those made ill are advised to drink fluids, rest up and avoid contact with others.
The school will also be reintroducing a lesson plan usually given to much younger students -- the importance of hygiene and hand-washing.
"I heard some people were staying away from drinking fountains, and all the teachers were like wash your hands, be safe, all that," junior Robbie Breschel said.
On Friday night every surface in the school was expected to get a thorough cleaning.
"This weekend we'll scrub down the school, disinfect the whole school and hopefully by Monday everyone will be healthy," Chappaqua School District Superintendent David Fleishman said.
So far none of those made ill has required hospitalization.
Doctors say the symptoms usually last for about 48 hours before victims feel better.
A mystery illness is also plaguing a Long Island middle school -- with more students and teachers falling ill on Friday.
Twenty-five students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School in Amityville went home with upper respiratory problems on Thursday -- and another eleven got sick Friday.
Three teachers also experienced symptoms.
The janitorial staff sanitized the school, and officials have ruled out school lunch as the source of the infection.
"We had a lot of people low grade fever," Amityville School District Superintendent John Williams said.
Add a parent: "I'm a little leery. My kid has a fever. I'm going to pick up my kid now."
The Health Department is encouraging anyone in the area with symptoms to see their doctor.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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