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Hundreds Sickened By Norovirus On South Coast

(Centers for Disease Control)
3-D images of norovirus organisms

A norovirus outbreak has left hundreds of students, and staff members in a South Coast school district sick.

Hundreds of cases of the viral illness with flulike symptoms have been reported at the eight schools in Ventura County’s El Rio School District. Dr. John Puglisi, superintendent of the El Rio School District, says they’ve taken a number of steps to keep parents informed about the viral outbreak, and to contain it. He says about 500 students and staff members have been impacted.

Norovirus is highly contagious, and creates issues like stomach distress and vomiting. It can be transmitted by direct contact, or touching contaminated surfaces or eating food.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.