A Long Beach elementary school closed this week after a norovirus outbreak infected more than 120 students, city health officials said.
The illnesses at Carver Elementary School were first reported to the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services on February 22. Norovirus symptoms include sudden vomiting and diarrhea, health officials said, adding that the virus is generally not dangerous but is extremely contagious.
As of Friday, 126 students and 10 staff members had reported “gastrointestinal symptoms,” health department spokeswoman Jennifer Rice Epstein said.
The school will be closed from Friday to Tuesday, KTLA-TV channel 5 reported. The campus will be thoroughly cleaned during that time, Epstein said.
Since the cases were first reported, the health department has recommended that the school keep individual classes isolated during breaks, postpone extracurricular activities and test students and staff members.
“However, there is evidence of continued transmission despite strict control measures, which is why the school is temporarily closing,” Epstein said.
The Long Beach Unified School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
