An investigation began after a number of students and faculty members suddenly became ill after lunch at a school in Gray Court, South Carolina. On Thursday, Aug. 15, 22 Gray-Court Owings Elementary-Middle School staff members and students suddenly became sick after lunch. The Laurens County School District 55 and the Laurens Fire Department evacuated the school to investigate possible carbon monoxide poisoning of students and staff. Fire officials officially ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of illness among the students and staff on Thursday afternoon.The school district is now investigating the possibility of food poisoning as they set aside food samples for testing, which is standard practice. It will take a week or so to receive the results from testing, officials said. We spoke with the district superintendent, Jody Penland.”We started figuring out that there were some kids outside of those three classrooms that also included some other grade levels. A couple of them had eaten lunch box food, so it wasn’t strictly out of the cafeteria. So we started narrowing out, but it does not appear that it is anything food-related,” Penland said. “there was a lot of talk about the chicken being the culprit, you know, but that is a fully cooked product that we receive, from the vendor. So it’s already fully cooked. “The district is also considering the possibility a stomach virus is the cause as there was a few cases at the school on Wednesday.According to officials, the school canceled after-school activities for Thursday to protect the safety of students and staff.Classes went on as scheduled Friday, but in an effort to reduce the spread of a potential stomach virus, the school district asks parents to keep their child home if they are experiencing signs of sickness.On Friday, The South Carolina Department of Health reviewed the case and found no evidence of contaminated food or food poisoning after testing.According to the school district, overnight deep cleaning was completed at the school and will continue as a protective measure.
An investigation began after a number of students and faculty members suddenly became ill after lunch at a school in Gray Court, South Carolina.
On Thursday, Aug. 15, 22 Gray-Court Owings Elementary-Middle School staff members and students suddenly became sick after lunch. The Laurens County School District 55 and the Laurens Fire Department evacuated the school to investigate possible carbon monoxide poisoning of students and staff.
Fire officials officially ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of illness among the students and staff on Thursday afternoon.
The school district is now investigating the possibility of food poisoning as they set aside food samples for testing, which is standard practice. It will take a week or so to receive the results from testing, officials said. We spoke with the district superintendent, Jody Penland.
“We started figuring out that there were some kids outside of those three classrooms that also included some other grade levels. A couple of them had eaten lunch box food, so it wasn’t strictly out of the cafeteria. So we started narrowing out, but it does not appear that it is anything food-related,” Penland said. “there was a lot of talk about the chicken being the culprit, you know, but that is a fully cooked product that we receive, from the vendor. So it’s already fully cooked. “
The district is also considering the possibility a stomach virus is the cause as there was a few cases at the school on Wednesday.
According to officials, the school canceled after-school activities for Thursday to protect the safety of students and staff.
Classes went on as scheduled Friday, but in an effort to reduce the spread of a potential stomach virus, the school district asks parents to keep their child home if they are experiencing signs of sickness.
On Friday, The South Carolina Department of Health reviewed the case and found no evidence of contaminated food or food poisoning after testing.
According to the school district, overnight deep cleaning was completed at the school and will continue as a protective measure.
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