Illinois School Hit by Widespread Norovirus Outbreak

March 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Earlier this month, the Daily Herald reported that hundred were sickened by a norovirus outbreak at an Algonquin school.  The outbreak occurred at the Westfield Community School in a suburb of Chicago.

According to the article, the outbreak caused more than half of the school’s elementary students and approximately a fifth of the middle school students to be absent in one day alone.  The school reacted by implementing a thorough cleaning regiment to try to prevent the contagious virus from spreading further.

Norovirus outbreaks typically occur suddenly and can make people feel sick, with vomiting, stomach cramping and diarrhea. Infections are usually not life threatening and most people recover within a few days.  These outbreaks commonly occur in places such as schools, daycare facilities, senior centers and hospitals.

More severe cases of the infection are possible, particularly in young children, the elderly and people with other health conditions.  In the United States, the CDC estimates that more than 21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis are due to norovirus infections each year.  According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, “These viruses are an important cause of gastrointestinal illness throughout the United States, including Illinois.”

“Noroviruses are a group of related, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis in humans,” reported Ed Chambers, President of EC2, an Illinois based environmental and infectious disease prevention specialty firm.  “The virus is capable of being transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces and by air if dried vomit particles become airborne.  Environmental samples can be analyzed for the norovirus to help prevent outbreaks and pinpoint sources of outbreaks,” he continued.

EC2 recently sponsored a public outreach video about noroviruses to help educate the public about ways to protect themselves.  It can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFxoxW_TdKw



To learn more about noroviruses or other environmental and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, please visit http://www.4ec2inc.com, email info@4ec2inc.com or call (815) 703-9000.

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About EC2, Inc.
EC2 is a leading provider of environmental consulting and inspection services for clients across the United States. Based in the Chicago area, the company provides their services to clients ranging from local companies and institutions to international Fortune 500 Corporations.