Health Department: Norovirus sickens 140 students at HS

WEST NEWBURY, Mass. (WHDH) -- Custodians worked around the clock decontaminating Pentucket Regional High school after more than 140 students were dismissed early after complaining about a stomach illness Thursday.

"We heard about a lot of people throwing up and coming into classes saying they were feeling sick, a lot of people went home," said Chase Marcotte, a student.

The Massachusetts Department of Health said a large number of students at Pentucket Regional High School have the norovirus. About 20 percent of students at the high school presented symptoms of the gastrointestinal virus.

“We had a steady flow of students during the course of the day, so we were able to accommodate using the guidance suite, or the administrative suite to make sure that we had student areas available,” said Jeff Mulqueen, superintendent.

"The nurse's office was full of students, like 20 people at a time. And the bathrooms were full of students too," said Colleen Killian, a student.

Sports and after school activities at the school were canceled Thursday.

"I was pretty sad because I'm on the track team and we were going to States, but we had to turn around and come back," said Killian.

The school reopened Friday.