The outbreak at Southport School, which occurred today, prompted staff to set up beds in a theatre to quarantine students from the rest of the school.
In a statement provided to The Educator, the school’s headmaster, Greg Wain, said the school is dealing with a number of cases of gastrointestinal illness amongst its Year 7 to Year 12 Boarders, probably brought in to the school at the start of Term last week.
“It is a 24 hour bug and the boys are tired and somewhat drained of energy but resting up well and housed in camp beds in the assembly hall and School Hospital to keep them away from the other boys for the 48 hours advised by Queensland Health,” Wain said, adding that “about fifty Boarders are affected”.
“The Boarding Houses and Kitchen have been inspected by Queensland Health and all is in order and being cleaned with disinfectant regularly.”
Wain said there were no reported cases at the school’s primary campus, which is located across the road.
“The Gold Coast Public Health Unit and the School Doctors are guiding us through this situation and we are following their advice,” Wain said.
“All the Boarders are under the Doctors’ care and we have Registered Nurses with the ill and recovering boys at all times.”
Despite the scale of the outbreak, the school remains open and no students were taken to hospital. It is expected that they will recover within two days.
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