Belgian School Closes After Norovirus and Strep Outbreak
A special needs secondary school in Kortrijk, West Flanders, has been forced to close its doors for an entire week after a dual outbreak of norovirus and streptococcal infections swept through students and staff following a “green class” trip. BuSO De Hoge Kouter sent all approximately 250 students home on Monday, June 15, after more than 30 people fell ill with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
What Happened
The outbreak began after roughly 80 students and 30 staff members returned from a week-long “bosklassen” (forest class) trip to Vakantiehuis Fabiola in Maasmechelen, Limburg. According to VRT NWS, the trouble started when a student was hospitalized with a confirmed streptococcal infection on Saturday morning. The school immediately implemented heightened hygiene measures and alerted parents.
By Sunday evening, the situation escalated dramatically. Approximately 20 to 25 additional students and staff reported sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Nancy Dedeurwaerder, General Director of the RHIZO school group, told Het Laatste Nieuws that the symptoms were concentrated in one building where the group had stayed. “It’s not food poisoning, but almost certainly the highly contagious norovirus,” she said.
School Response
On Monday morning, the school initially opened with strict hygiene protocols in place. But as La Libre Belgique reported, the number of cases continued to climb throughout the morning. “The sick kept pouring in. It was super contagious, which is why we decided to close the school,” Dedeurwaerder said.
By midday Monday, all students were sent home. The school will remain closed through Friday, June 19, with a planned reopening on Monday, June 22 under enhanced hygiene measures. The Multifunctioneel Centrum on site was also closed. Teacher evaluation days scheduled for Thursday and Friday were moved online.
A Teacher’s Account
Fleurance Goemaere, a teacher at the school, provided a firsthand account of the outbreak to HLN. She described how one student became violently ill during the night of Thursday to Friday. “Suddenly one student became very ill. He had to vomit a lot and had severe diarrhea,” she recalled.
Because the school serves students with special educational needs (aged 13-21, types OV1 and OV2), staff had to provide direct physical assistance to ill students, increasing their exposure. Goemaere herself fell ill on Saturday evening. “At home, everyone has also fallen ill now,” she said. She estimates that approximately 25 students and 20 staff members have been affected.
Dual Outbreak Complexity
A notable aspect of this incident is the simultaneous presence of two distinct pathogens. The streptococcal infection — a bacterial infection causing sore throat and fever — was identified first and appears to be separate from the norovirus outbreak. Norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, is suspected as the primary cause of the gastrointestinal symptoms. One case has been officially confirmed as norovirus.
The Flemish Agency for Care and Health (Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid) has been notified and is monitoring the situation. The school consulted with the Centrum voor Leerlingenbegeleiding (Student Guidance Center) and occupational health services before deciding to close.
Looking Ahead
The school plans to reopen on Monday, June 22 with strict hygiene protocols in place, including intensified cleaning of toilets and common areas, and rigorous hand hygiene enforcement. “Next week we hope to restart with strict hygiene measures. And hopefully we can still have a nice final school week,” Goemaere said.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of school trips with shared accommodations to infectious disease outbreaks, particularly for special needs students who require closer physical contact with staff. It comes just days after another Belgian school was disinfected following gastrointestinal issues affecting nearly 100 children, suspected to be linked to tap water contamination.