Over 2 dozen students, teachers sickened at Riverview Middle School, Bay Point, CA

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number: EP-20070426-11030-USA
Date / time: 26/04/2007 03:39:11
Event: Epidemic Hazard
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of California
City: Bay Point
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:
Health officials said over two dozen students and teachers at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point fell ill Wednesday due to an unknown cause; roughly half of those sickened were treated at area hospitals. Those afflicted complained of feeling nauseated and dizzy. Other symptoms included vomiting and headache. "We're really not sure what caused these people to become sick," Contra Costa County Fire Protection District spokeswoman Emily Hopkins said. "We still do not know what caused these symptoms." Contra Costa Health Services spokeswoman Julie Freestone said that the mystery illness could be connected to a strange smell reported at the school, located at 205 Pacifica Ave. However, no hazardous, chemical or toxic materials were detected on the school grounds and the campus was declared safe shortly after 2 p.m., Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Assistant Director Steve Morioka said.

The incident was first reported in 9-1-1 calls around 10:45 a.m. as a case of possible food poisoning, but then hazardous materials teams were called to investigate a potential natural gas leak caused by construction on the school campus. Hazmat specialists and a team from Pacific Gas and Electric were quickly able to determine that there was no gas leak at the school, Morioka said. They also confirmed that no industrial businesses in the area experienced any kind of chemical release Wednesday. At least 12 victims were transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals, Hopkins said. None of them were admitted and all were treated and released, Mount Diablo Unified School District spokeswoman Sue Berg said. Investigators said they were looking into what the students and teachers were doing at the time they fell ill. "A good percentage of them were involved in a relay run outside on the track," Fire Battalion Chief Dave George said. School officials hired a private company that was expected to work into the night conducting more air, water and soil tests. Classes were dismissed early as a result of Wednesday's incident. School administrators said classes would resume as usual on Thursday.

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=11030

[RaleighNCDUer]

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