Norovirus outbreak reported from in Toronto's Thornhill elementary school

According to CP24, a memo had been sent to the parents on Monday by Lynne Cohen, Thornhill Woods Public School Principal, warning them of the outbreak of Norovirus and requesting them to abstain any children with symptoms of highly-infectious virus to come to school until about 48 hours when they are free of symptoms.

Norovirus is also known as Norwalk is a highly contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

According to health experts, symptoms usually follow 12 hours after exposure to the virus but can become apparent after 24 to 48 hours.

Some of its symptoms Norovirus include fever, muscle cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches and fatigue. Symptoms usually dispel after 24 to 48 hours.

“We are working alongside public health and various school board departments to clean, sanitize and disinfect the school. Our caretakers worked all weekend to complete the process for Monday,” Cohen wrote.

“Of paramount importance, is the requirement that students who are ill do not return to school until they are free of symptoms for 48 hours. This is essential so that we do not undo the work done over the weekend to disinfect and sanitize the building.”

“We are helpful that with the help and support of public health our school board and all the work done this weekend that we should be over the outbreak provided that the virus is not reintroduced this week,” she wrote

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)