Palisade High School Closes Early After 300 Students Become Sick
PALISADE, Colo. (CBS4) - A high school in western Colorado closed Thursday after more than 300 students became ill. Officials with Mesa County Valley School District 51 said Palisade High School will be closed Friday so crews can clean the campus.
On the district's website, officials wrote, "Student and staff health and safety is always a priority, and we feel that closing the school for cleaning, and to allow students and staff to rest and not continue to spread the illness, is in the best interest of the entire school staff and student population."
More than 1,000 students attend the high school. Students began showing symptoms Wednesday, including vomiting, fever and diarrhea. Health officials believe the illness may be norovirus, which is airborne and easily spread.
School officials do not know of any hospitalizations related to the illness. They hope to reopen the school on Monday.