Spanish Springs Elementary School has been hit with the outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that has been sweeping area schools, officials said Monday.
Victoria Campbell, a school district spokeswoman, said staff members have sent letters about the outbreak to students’ parents.
With the addition of Spanish Springs Elementary, 19 schools have now been affected by the outbreak, Campbell said. Two of them—McQueen High School and Alice Smith Elementary—have since been removed from the outbreak list, she said, leaving 17.
Other Sparks or Spanish Springs schools on the list are Sparks High School, Bud Beasley Elementary and Jesse Hall Elementary, Campbell said.
Spanish Springs High School was added to the list last week after experiencing a higher-than-usual number of people with the illness. At that time, Campbell said school officials were continuing to “work closely with the Washoe County Health District to employ protocols designed to limit the spread” of the illness.
Usual symptoms of the illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Headache, fever and body aches also can be present. The symptoms usually last 24 to 72 hours, health experts said, and those infected usually make a full recovery. Basic treatment involves rest and drinking fluids.
Health officials said the illness transmits most easily where people congregate in groups, such as schools, day-care centers, group homes and extended-care facilities.
One of the key ways to avoid the illness is good hygiene, such as effective hand-washing and proper cleaning methods.
Health officials also said it’s important that sick people stay home to prevent the illness from spreading.
Infected students at schools hit with the outbreak must stay home for 72 hours after their last experience with vomiting and or diarrhea, school officials said.
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