(updated 3:03 p.m. Aug. 31, 2016)

Approximately 105 students and faculty have either been sent home or called in sick to do a mysterious sickness spreading through Manhattan High. What, exactly, is the “plague” that has hit Manhattan High? An email distributed to MHS staff by principal Greg Hoyt on Wednesday afternoon indicates Norovirus may be to blame.  

Noroviruses aren’t just one type of virus, but rather a small group of them that cause the stomach flu or gastroenteritis in people. The sickness is not serious in the least, but they do primarily cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Occasionally, people report low-grade fevers, headaches, chills and fatigue, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

The sickness began to spread after head nurse Robin Smith send home 13 students within the first three days of last week. The number had quickly risen to 54 by Friday and is now around 100. It had become clear that this sickness was vast and serious and demanded inspection.

Shortly after being contacted, the Riley County Health Department called in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and both were unclear of what the sickness could be up until this point.

In his email, Hoyt dispelled any rumors about the number of cases causing the school to be shut down. He added that an official from KDOA also visited MHS today and thoroughly inspected the kitchen and cafeteria and ruled out any possibility that school food or cafeteria equipment or faculty could be spreading the virus.

Students and faculty should avoid sharing food with others, drinking from the same container as others, and should wash hands frequently and stay away from those already affected.

Noroviruses are contagious and those infected become contagious immediately and stay that way for up to two weeks after recovery. There are no antiviral medications that treat this virus and it can not be treated with antibiotics. Those infected should stay home until recovered.

Although there has been a seemingly large number of students and faculty infected with the norovirus, the school will not be shutting down. The numbers infected are not significant enough to shut down.

The school asks that everyone wash their hands thoroughly and frequently to avoid spread of germs and that anyone with any symptoms of the Norovirus stay home until 24 hours after all symptoms are gone.

Health concern hits MHS

A health epidemic has hit Manhattan High, resulting in an investigation by the Riley County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Since Monday, 13 kids have been sent home for vomiting at school, which nurse Robin Smith said is more than she’s ever seen in her career. No one knows exactly what the sickness is. KDHE’s investigation begins today.

According to Smith, some ways students and faculty can avoid the sickness is by practicing general prevention methods: wash hands thoroughly before and after eating, after using the restroom and before and after treating a wound. Hands also need to be washed before and after caring for someone who may be sick, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, after touching garbage and after handling anything animal-related. It’s also recommended that students and faculty avoid putting their mouth close to the nozzle when drinking from water fountains and drinking from water bottles and other containers after others.