What to Know
- A city spokeswoman said the kids' symptoms are similar to those of norovirus, but it's not known if they have the infection
- Norovirus, a highly contagious infection, can cause nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache and diarrhea, among other symptoms
- The school is being disinfected as a precaution
More than a dozen students were sent home from their Brooklyn elementary school Wednesday after complaining of flu-like symptoms, authorities say.
Paramedics responded to a call about the sick children at William T. Sampson School in Borough Park and encountered about 15 to 20 kids complaining of nausea and other ailments, according to the FDNY.
Officials said that there didn't appear to be any abnormal readings on meters at the school, and that several students had been sent home sick on Tuesday. One child was taken to a hospital with a minor case of nausea, officials said.
A city Department of Education spokeswoman said that their symptoms were consistent with norovirus, a highly contagious infection that can cause fever, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain and body aches, though it is not confirmed the students have the infection.
The spokeswoman said the school is being disinfected "out of an abundance of caution." Officials say there is nothing to suggest flu or any airborne virus, and the reason for the children getting sick is under investigation.
Chopper 4 footage showed several ambulances parked outside the school. The building, which serves more than 1,330 students in kindergarten through Grade 5, was not evacuated.
