money More than a dozen Waukesha North High Schools students got sick from prom. At least one has norovirus, officials say.
While it says it is still investigating what caused some Waukesha North High School students to become ill after attending prom earlier this month, the Waukesha County Health Department has said one of the ill attendees has norovirus.
The department said in an emailed statement that it has not identified a potential source or cause of the illness.
According to an April 13 letter from Waukesha North principal Kristin Higgins, the school's administration received more than a dozen reports of students experiencing gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea following prom. The school held its prom on April 9 at the Brookfield Conference Center.
Higgins encouraged anyone who suspected their child's illness was the result of the dinner served at prom to contact the county and to keep them home until the illness has passed.
"The Brookfield Conference Center is dedicated to providing our guests with a safe and secure environment," the Brookfield Conference Center said in an emailed statement. "We take all health and safety concerns very seriously. We are working with the Waukesha County Health Department and have offered our full cooperation to assist in their investigation and we are committed to working with them to determine a cause."
According to the CDC, norovirus causes 58% of foodborne illness acquired in the United States each year, with about 2,500 norovirus outbreaks reported annually. The CDC said while outbreaks of the virus occur throughout the year, they are most common from November to April.
The most common symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, while other symptoms include fever, headache and body aches. Symptoms usually develop within 12 to 48 hours after exposure.
"Most outbreaks of norovirus illness happen when infected people spread the virus to others through direct contact, such as by caring for them or sharing food or eating utensils with them. Food, water and surfaces contaminated with norovirus can also cause outbreaks," the CDC said on its website.
The CDC lists healthcare facilities, restaurants and at catered events, schools and childcare centers and cruise ships as some of the most commonly reported outbreak settings.
Higgins said in her letter that next year's prom would be held at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Norovirus case linked to Waukesha North prom that left students sick
