Burton Valley Gets A Scrub Down; Possible Norovirus

Officials at Burton Valley Elementary School in Lafayette have ordered a thorough weekend scrubbing for the school after roughly 100 kids exhibited symptoms similar to Norovirus Friday.

The school was quiet Saturday evening, but custodial workers were tasked with cleaning desks and other surfaces with bleach-based cleaners over the weekend and before school resumes Monday.

Parents were notified of the potential outbreak by email Friday. Norovirus infection is characterized by nausea, forceful vomiting, watery diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and in some cases, loss of taste. General lethargy, weakness, muscle aches, headache, coughs, and low-grade fever may occur.

Physicians recommend isolating sufferers, rehydration and bed rest for up to 48 hours, when the symptoms usually pass. Reports of children sick with similar symptoms at Stanley Intermediate School prompted additional sanitizing measures and "keep your child home" advice from district officials.

County health officials have tested students who reported feeling ill to see if Norovirus could be identified as the cause. District officials said it was "rare" to have that many students, reporting the same symptoms, ill at the same time.

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