Over 1,200 Students Sickened in Alabama School District Gastrointestinal Outbreak

Fairhope West Elementary closes for deep cleaning amid investigations into a norovirus-like illness affecting multiple schools.

More than 1,200 students across several schools in an Alabama school district have been affected by a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness, leading to the closure of the most affected school, Fairhope West Elementary, for deep cleaning.
Health officials are investigating the outbreak, which has symptoms consistent with norovirus, though the virus has not been formally identified.
The outbreak has prompted other schools in the area to urge parents to keep their children home if possible, as a precaution.
Norovirus, which is being treated as the cause of the outbreak, is a very contagious virus that can spread through shared food and water, as well as infected surfaces.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that norovirus activity is high across the country, with outbreaks commonly linked to schools and childcare centers.