Another Rockdale County elementary school is closed Friday after dozens more students came down with suspected norovirus.
Shoal Creek Elementary in the central part of the county called off classes after two days with a high number of absences. On Wednesday, 90 students and one staff member were out sick, and on Thursday, that number grew to 120 students and five staff members, according to the school system.
Cindy Ball, a spokeswoman for Rockdale County Public Schools, said the county’s health department suspects norovirus is to blame for the illnesses.
According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. A person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to the virus, and most people get better within one to three days.
Pine Street Elementary north of Conyers was also closed because of suspected norovirus on Wednesday and Thursday. The school was open Friday, Ball said.
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Ball said the school system, as it did at Pine Street, is working closely with the health department to make sure all the recommended cleaning protocols are followed at Shoal Creek.
By closing the school Friday, she said it “allows for a deep cleaning to continue and also provides an opportunity to break the transmission cycle.” Shoal Creek is expected to reopen Monday.
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