FOREST HILLS, Mich. — The Kent County Health Department is working with a couple of schools to investigate reports of increased illness among students, with officials focusing on the possibility of a norovirus cluster.
Social media posts from Forest Hills area residents have indicated a rise in sick children recently, with some of them saying it's a norovirus.
"It's just too early at this point to have a good picture of what's going on at any school," said Cathy Armstrong, Communicable Disease Supervisor for the Kent County Health Department.
Armstrong explained that norovirus cases are not individually reportable to health authorities unless they reach outbreak levels.
"Norovirus, in and of itself, isn't a reportable condition, so it's only reportable in the respect of an outbreak situation," Armstrong said.
Health officials expect seasonal increases during fall and winter months.
"We do expect it to go up in the fall and winter months," Armstrong said.
The health department is assisting schools with proper cleaning protocols, emphasizing that norovirus is particularly difficult to eliminate.
"Helping them to make sure that they are taking the proper precautions and especially the proper cleaning, because norovirus is extremely difficult to kill," Armstrong said. "Making sure that schools understand that bleach is the best way to kill. This is really one of the things that we want to get the point across for these types of outbreaks."
Armstrong warned about the virus's contagious nature.
"Norovirus is, I mean, technically speaking, one of the most contagious illnesses out there, it's extremely easy to pass from person to person," she said.
The virus spreads when virus particles are ingested or swallowed. Symptoms of a norovirus can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
To help prevent transmission, health officials recommend children wash their hands before touching their mouths, keep children home from school if sick, and have children remain home until they're symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
While no confirmed norovirus outbreak has been declared, officials stress the importance of following these precautionary measures to prevent further spread.
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