School closed as 120 are taken ill

School closed as

120 are taken ill

A school closed yesterday because more than 120 pupils and teachers have fallen ill. Teachers at Cotmanhay Infants School, in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, fear the children have passed on a viral infection. Eight staff have also fallen ill, over the past week, including the head teacher Brenda Smith.

Cleaners are disinfecting the school buildings, which will remain closed until Thursday morning. The illness, which has not been identified, but which causes headaches, sore throats and high temperatures, had infected 100 pupils by Friday last week. A further 20 were taken ill at the weekend.