Washoe health officials ID outbreak

RENO - Washoe County health officials say they have identified an illness that has sickened hundreds of elementary school children and sent 11 children to emergency rooms in a single day.

Health officials had speculated that norovirus was the cause of the gastrointestinal illness but said Friday that sapovirus is also to blame. Officials say it's the first time an outbreak in Washoe County has been traced to sapovirus.

Dr. Joseph Iser of the health district said he is calling for all students and staff to stay home from school for 24 hours if they have a stomachache. He said they should stay home for three days after their final symptoms if they have vomiting, diarrhea or fever.

School officials contacted parents districtwide when three elementary schools were seeing infection rates of 20 percent.