Nearly 100 cases of norovirus reported inside one elementary school, health officials say

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV/Gray News) - Health officials have confirmed a norovirus outbreak at Bentwood Elementary School in Kansas after nearly 100 cases were reported over the past week.Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Charlie Hunt said the total case count has grown to 97, with 95 of those cases inside the school among students and staff, plus two more among family members outside the school.Hunt said that number is likely an undercount because of how contagious norovirus is.JCDHE said two cases have been confirmed by lab testing.Health officials noted the remaining cases are considered epidemiologically linked, meaning people experienced similar symptoms at the same time in the same setting.Norovirus is highly contagious, causing vomiting and diarrhea. It spreads easily in schools where students and staff are in close contact, health experts said. Hunt said there are about 2,500 norovirus outbreaks reported each year nationally, and that figure is also l