Clare Jellick of the Journal Star News reports that officials still are searching for what caused the after-lunch illnesses of 82 students at five District 150 schools this week.
No similar outbreaks occurred Thursday, but officials from the Peoria City/County Health Department were at the schools collecting food samples, running tests in kitchens and interviewing staff and students. They also conducted investigations at the four high schools, where lunches are prepared and distributed to the primary and middle schools.
Students at three schools complained of illness Wednesday, and students at two schools complained of illness Monday.
Hardest hit was Loucks-Edison Junior Academy, where 47 students went home sick Wednesday. Nineteen of those students went to OSF Saint Francis and Methodist. Nineteen of those students went to OSF Saint Francis and Methodist medical centers, where they were treated and released, district officials said. Only four of those students were back at school Thursday.
Also Wednesday, Roosevelt Magnet School had 10 sick students and Calvin Coolidge Middle School had eight. Roosevelt’s illnesses were not reported until Thursday. On Monday, Tyng Elementary School had five sick students after lunch and Blaine-Sumner Middle School had 12.
Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea and headache were common symptoms of those affected and developed within an hour after students ate.