Elementary school Witten closed due to illness

Gastrointestinal diseases necessitate closure of the Witten primary school

17/12/2012

Noroviruses have caused more severe gastrointestinal diseases in several federal states in recent weeks. Because of the accumulated gastrointestinal infections, the Wittener Hüllberg elementary school was closed on Friday, November 16, by order of the health department of the Ennepe-Ruhr district.

At the Witten primary school, 72 students and four adults were diagnosed with severe gastrointestinal infection, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, according to official figures. On Thursday employees of the local health department got an overview of the situation and decided to temporarily close the elementary school. Leaflets were distributed in which the health department appeals to the parents, „to send her child back to class at the earliest when there are no signs of illness for two days“, to prevent further spread within the school.

School closure should interrupt the infection chain
Although it has not yet been conclusively clarified, causing the increased gastrointestinal diseases at primary school, but the experts of the health department „suspect that a noro virus is the cause.“ Here should „Finally, the results of stool samples provide the necessary clarity“, explained the head of the Department of Social and Health of the district administration Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, Dr. med. Hans-Joachim Boschek. First of all, all 236 children and teachers and supervisors stayed home on Friday in order to interrupt the chain of infection, continued Boschek. In addition, the school building will be thoroughly disinfected. On Monday, a long-planned school conference will take place at the elementary school, so that the students will not return to school until Tuesday. The health department hopes to stop by the longer break the further spread of the infections. On Tuesday should „In any case, only healthy children appear at the beginning of the lesson“, there „otherwise a continuation of the infection chain“ threatens, stressed Dr. Boschek.

Severe gastrointestinal diseases due to norovirus
Noroviruses are according to the information of the health department „one of the most common causes of acute gastrointestinal diseases and outbreaks in community settings such as schools and kindergartens.“ The viruses are transmitted by smear infection, ie by faecal-oral route through pathogens that are excreted with vomit or defecation. Even a small uptake of the pathogens can cause the typical gastrointestinal disease. In addition to vomiting and severe diarrhea, this often causes concomitant symptoms such as abdominal pain, headache, muscle pain, body aches, fatigue and mild fever, reports the health department. Normally hold „the symptoms range from 12 to 72 hours, and the incubation period is one to two days. "Dr. Boschek advises the parents of children who are suffering from ill health that they do not have direct contact with the child and disinfect their hands A thorough disinfection should also be followed after contact with vomit and before the preparation of food, stressed Boschek „virus-effective, alcoholic hand disinfectant“ recommended.

Increase in norovirus infections in Lower Saxony
In early November, the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) had already reported a significant increase in norovirus infections in Lower Saxony in 2012. 8,180 norovirus diseases were already registered this year, compared to only 6,590 in the same period of the previous year, according to the TK release, citing data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This equates to an increase in severe gastrointestinal diseases by 24 percent. According to the TK in Lower Saxony, the administrative district of Braunschweig was hit particularly hard with 2,473 reported cases and the administrative district of Hannover with 2,304 illnesses. However, the health insurance company was unable to explain why this year a significant increase in norovirus infections can be observed. (Fp)