A nasty illness is sweeping through Delta Secondary today.
Reports have come in that as many as 300 students have fallen ill to a bug that resulted in stomach cramps and vomiting, but the exact number hasn't been confirmed. Fraser Health has confirmed that it is a Norovirus, which is highly contagious.
According to students who are talking about the illness via Twitter, using the hashtag #dssplague2014, some kids were throwing up in the school and told to go home. One posted that only 12 students were in his class, while another said she was afraid to be at school. Others made light of the situation, including one calling it a zombie apocalypse.
District assistant superintendent Doug Sheppard confirmed around 180 students called in sick or were taken ill Thursday, but that number may also include students who had completely unrelated alignments.
He said during the course of the morning more students fell ill, but the district wouldn't be able to provide an accurate number on how many of those were related until later today.
Sheppard said Fraser Health is investigating, following up with kids and families who went to office and were sent home.
He noted a cleaning crew is arriving to thoroughly wipe down surfaces. It would be up to Fraser Health to determine if the school should shut down, although he doesn't expect that will occur.
The district is also encouraging all students and staff with symptoms to stay home and is sending out a notice to all staff, students and parents. That notice to parents states the school "has been experiencing an unusually high rate of absenteeism" as a result of the reported flu-like symptoms.
Fraser Health recommends precautions including frequent hand wahsing.
