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September 5th 2007 -
Cruise ship virus suspected at New Trier
September 2, 2007
BY BEN GOLDBERGER AND NORMAN PARISH Staff Reporters
A violent stomach virus known for sickening cruise ship passengers appears to have struck a North Shore high school.
More than 100 students and staff at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka have been infected with a highly contagious stomach virus that county health officials suspect to
be norovirus.
Lab results will not be in until Tuesday, but Cook County Public Health Department spokesman Sean McDermott said the severe vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramping and 12- to
24-hour incubation time are consistent with the symptoms and onset time of norovirus.
"You wake up in the morning, you feel fine. You go to school, and very quickly you're vomiting. That's classic norovirus," McDermott said.
The virus started at New Trier last Monday when two students vomited, McDermott said. Staff members who helped the students became sick before the illness spread to other
students and school workers. Those infected with the virus were asked to stay home for 24 hours after the symptoms stop, which usually occurs within two days.
New Trier is disinfecting parts of its campus this weekend in an attempt to prevent further contamination.
"Norovirus is the most common gastrointestinal disease that we see all over the country," said McDermott. "It's not uncommon to see these types of outbreaks. ... What we're
working to try to prevent from happening is it spreading around the area."
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