Several students sick with norovirus at St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary School

Provincial public Health officials are looking into reports of students coming down with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary northwest of Halifax.

In an emailed statement, Public Health spokesperson Jennifer Lewandowski said “a number of children” are now sick, but did not say how many students have been infected. The illness is believed to be “a common viral gastrointestinal illness, norovirus, that is highly contagious, but quickly resolves in 1-3 days.”

Students at the school have been sent home with a letter to notify parents of the increase in stomach illnesses and to monitor children for symptoms, Lewandowski said.

She added that if symptoms develop, kids should stay home until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared up.

St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary is now working with Public Health to control the illness’s spread.

Common symptoms of norovirus include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, as well as a low-grade fever, chills, muscle aches and fatigue. Public Health said symptoms can begin suddenly and last up to three days.

A representative of the Halifax Regional Centre for Education was not immediately available for comment.