San Diego-Area School Closes After Virus Outbreak

Deputy Public Health Officer estimates 60 to 100 students and staffers fell ill Wednesday

Del Mar Union School District has canceled classes at an elementary school after 60 to 100 people were struck by a virus and "vomiting at school" Wednesday. 

In an official statement, the district said it is treating the outbreak as norovirus.

Parents were instructed to send their children to the school as normal Thursday after custodians disinfected classrooms. However, approximately 300 to 400 students did not attend class Thursday.  The school enrolls approximately 600 students.

Then, by mid-afternoon, district officials began instructing parents to pick up their children as soon as possible.

Deputy Public Health Officer at County of San Diego Eric McDonald estimated 60 to 100 students and staffers fell ill Wednesday at Sage Canyon School in Carmel Valley.

Since Monday, there has been an increasing number of students, staff, teachers absent from the school, the county health official said.

McDonald said the outbreak may be norovirus, but he won't know for sure until a specimen sample is given to the health department.

The school has reached out to the stateโ€™s Department of Health Services, which recommends all children with symptoms stay home from school until theyโ€™re free of symptoms for 48 hours.

The district will bring in a special cleaning crew to disinfect classrooms, common areas, carpets and filters.

Sage Canyonโ€™s principal, William Cameron, sent out a note to parents Wednesday alerting them of the apparent virus outbreak at the school.

"As a precaution, we cleared all classrooms at approximately 10:30 a.m. to have our site and district custodial staff sanitize the classrooms and common areas," Cameron said.

In addition, Thursday's open house has been postponed until May 31.

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