Norovirus Closes School District

More than 20,000 elementary and high school students in western Colorado had an early Thanksgiving break after a suspected norovirus outbreak closed all 46 schools in the district, Associated Press reports.

Students and staff at Mesa County Valley School District 51 have been complaining of illness for the past few weeks. The outbreak started in the high school the week of November 11 when 30% of students and 20% of staff called in sick, NBC news reported. The following week, the illness spread to the district’s other schools, so officials decided to close all the schools last Thursday and Friday.

Classes will resume after Thanksgiving, giving custodians time to disinfect all surfaces. However, the cleaning process has been slow, with several custodians also coming down with the virus.

Norovirus is a highly contagious pathogen that is most common in winter. Learn how following a regimented cleaning routine can prevent the spread of norovirus in your facility.