Virus spreading throughout Hamilton County causes 2 Chattanooga schools to close

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — An illness is spreading throughout Chattanooga Schools. But it’s not Covid or the Flu. So, what is it? 

Boyd Buchanan School and Big Ridge Elementary School announced they would be closed today due to a high rate of illness related absences. 

Hamilton County Schools announced that approximately 21% of students and 30% of staff are currently affected.

One local foster mom says doctors ran over ten tests on three of her five children and came up with nothing. The mother even caught it herself. 

“It started with my kindergartner. She got sick on Friday night. Last Friday she woke up in the middle of the night crying and throwing up everywhere, and she finally got better then two other kids got sick. I myself got it as well,” said foster mom, Martha Young.

One of her children’s fevers almost spiked to 104 degrees. The mother said that it was hard to watch them feel so sick but said, it did allow for extra quality time together.

“He’s the one that’s taking care of the healthy kids. I took care of the sick kiddos, and you know, we tried to quarantine them to their bedrooms. You feel bad you just want to take the pain and what not away from them, so its just lots of extra snuggle time,” said Young. 

The symptoms that are being reported include nausea, stomach pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. 

The mother did say that doctors prescribed Zofran to help with the nausea for the time being, given that each spell for her children lasted anywhere between 24 to 48 hours. 

While schools are closed, custodial crews are working to clean the buildings to prepare for the return of students and staff next week.