Coxsackie Virus Forces Kinnelon High School Athletes To Take A Timeout

KINNELON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease at a New Jersey high school has caused the superintendent to pull the plug on sporting events until the virus is wiped out.

As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, there won't be any sports played on the fields at Kinnelon High School for at least a week. Football and soccer games were cancelled after an outbreak of coxsackie virus also known as hand, foot, and mouth disease.

"I have a sore throat, headache, stomach ache," 11th grader Emily Thompson said.

Thompson said she started to feel sick during a Wednesday night, game. Her mother noticed the same thing.

"We had volleyball yesterday and when she came off I noticed she used her inhaler more, so when she came off said she felt awful," Julie Thompson said.

On Thursday, Dr. Anjuli Suda confirmed that Emily has the virus.

"Starts with sore throat, see small sores in back of the throat, very painful," Dr. Suda said.

Dr. Suda said the virus can be spread through mouth to mouth secretions, fecal, and oral secretions, and by changing a dirty diaper.

The superintendent said buildings and buses are being disinfected.

"As long as they are cleaning up everything, everyone is washing their hands, and trying not to drink from one another," Thompson said.

Dr. Suda said it's a pretty catchy bug.

"Just make sure you wash your hands, and when you cough, cough in your mouth," Dr. Suda said.

The remedy is ibuprofen and lots of water. The virus usually lasts 3 to 10 days.

This season there have been at least two other outbreaks that have delayed playing time.

Don Bosco Prep had to cancel football games as well as Pequannock High School.

Doctors said in cases involving high school students the first step is to rule out meningitis which has similar symptoms.