St. Ignatius Virus Outbreak Forces San Francisco High School To Shut Down (VIDEO)

A violent stomach virus outbreak has forced St. Ignatius High School, a Jesuit college preparatory academy in the Sunset district, to shut down through the weekend.

Principal Patrick Ruff said in a news conference that more than 300 students (over 20 percent of the student body) and 30 teachers became ill from gastroenteritis, causing many to vomit in trash cans across the campus.

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"We encourage students and staff to stay home when sick and to wash hands frequently," a message on the San Francisco Unified School District's website reads. Ruff explained that the number of absent teachers would make it difficult to hold classes. Officials are monitoring the situation closely, and affected individuals are urged to stay away from campus for at least 72 hours.

Peter Radsliffe, whose son was among the sickened, told Bay City News the virus already appeared to have cleared up. "He felt much better this morning," Radsliffe said. "He's sleeping, feeling fine, just the typical 24-hour bug that you get over."

St. Ignatius boasts a number of famous alumni, including California Governor Jerry Brown, former San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, Gordon Getty and Intel CEO Peter Otellini.

Health experts claim gastroenteritis only lasts a few days. New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning came down with the disease the week before his heartbreaking championship victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Learn more about the incident by taking a look at ABC News' report below:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/st-ignatius-virus_n_1249006.html

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