Shedd Prom Food Not Why High School Students Ill: Officials

CHICAGO, IL — Food served during Andrew High School's prom last month at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium does not appear to have caused at least 111 students to become sick with stomach flu-like symptoms, according to the initial findings by health officials. The investigation into the matter still is ongoing, but surveys taken by students who attended the prom for the Tinley Park school found that some of them were feeling ill before the dance, the Daily Southtown reports.

Andrew students reported suffering from fever, chills and vomiting following the April 27 prom at the aquarium. According to some of the students who became sick, symptoms began appearing around 24 to 48 hours after the event, which about 400 students attended.

As part of the investigation by the Chicago and Cook County health departments, students who attended prom and were ill were asked to take a survey to determine what other activities they participated in before they began experiencing symptoms.

In those surveys, several students revealed they were feeling sick before prom, Kimberley Conrad Junius, a spokeswoman with the Cook County Department of Public Health, told the Southtown. A preliminary examination of food served at the aquarium also did not uncover a connection with any illness, she added.

More Patch Coverage:

• Illness Outbreak Hits 90 Andrew High School Students Post-Prom
• More Sick Andrew Students Following Prom: School
• Chicago Kindergarteners Sickened After Shedd Aquarium Field Trip

Parents posting to a Tinley Park community Facebook page following the outbreak said doctors had diagnosed some of the sick students with norovirus. Health officials had been waiting for lab results to make that determination, and so far, two students have tested positive, Conrad Junius told the Southtown.

People contracting norovirus can suffer stomach-related symptoms that develop between 12 to 48 hours after exposure, according to the website for the Centers for Disease Control. Contaminated food and person-to-person contact can spread the virus, and most people begin getting better within one to three days, the agency said.

After reports of the sick Andrew students began circulating, officials from Chicago's St. Clement School reported that about 15 kindergarteners became ill following a visit to the aquarium by 52 students during an April 17 field trip. Those students brought bag lunches and did not eat food provided by the aquarium.

Last week, Anel Ruiz, the public affairs director for the Chicago Department of Public Health, said the Shedd's catering and restaurant facilities had been inspected, and "there are no outstanding violations."

"As an extra precaution, Shedd has also completed a thorough environmental cleaning, and the health departments continue to survey students or others reporting possible illness," she said at the time.

More via the Daily Southtown

Shedd Aquarium (Image via Google Earth)