The outbreak at Eldsbergaskolan is one of several stomach flu outbreaks reported at schools across Sweden this week. According to Aftonbladet, rector Lisa Haraldsson said the illness spread rapidly after students vomited at the school on Wednesday, and by Thursday many were sick. She believes the outbreak is due to sick students returning too early, not food poisoning, noting that the school has its own kitchen. The school has followed guidelines from 1177, urging guardians to keep sick children home for at least 48 hours, including siblings. Eldsbergaskolan remains open as usual but with extra cleaning and outdoor activities. Haraldsson told Aftonbladet that guardians have been positive and cooperative, and the weekend will allow those who are sick to recover.
At Finningeskolan in Strängnäs, about 45 students were sick on Friday due to winter vomiting sickness, according to major media reports. Rector Carina Tinker told Eskilstuna-Kuriren that the illness is a common stomach flu that arrived later than usual. Some staff at Finningeskolan were also home sick. At Vittraskolan Röda stan, the school nurse sent an email on Friday suspecting a stomach flu outbreak with many sick students, as reported by Norrköpings Tidningar. The nurse said many fell ill yesterday and new cases have been confirmed today. At an unnamed school reported by Borås Tidning, there are 24 confirmed cases of stomach flu, according to the principal.
There has been vomiting at the school and then the infection becomes enormous.
The total number of affected schools across Sweden is not yet known, and it is unclear whether the outbreaks are linked or coincidental. The specific virus causing the outbreaks has not been identified. The number of cases at Vittraskolan Röda stan has not been disclosed, and the name of the school reported by Borås Tidning remains unknown.
On Wednesday students vomited at the school. On Thursday very many were sick, it went so fast.
We have a kitchen that cooks food so I'm not worried about that at all.
Then we have sanitation and extra cleaning at the school. We will send out that if anyone vomits today, they stay home even on Monday so we don't get it back again.
All guardians have been positive and with very fine humility said that we help each other with this. The weekend means that those who are home get a few extra days to get well. It will be fine.
This is a common stomach flu, or winter vomiting sickness if you will. But it came later than it usually does.
The school has noted that many are reported sick and we suspect that it is an outbreak of stomach flu. Many fell ill yesterday and today new cases have been confirmed.
24 confirmed cases • The principal: 'That's what we know'