Joint probe launched into outbreak of illness on school excursion

A JOINT probe has been launched into an illness outbreak on a Perthshire school trip that left Carnoustie pupils needing “sick bags” seconds after returning on the bus.

The Tele reported that children from Burnside Primary School experienced diarrhoea, vomiting and severe stomach pains during and after their three-night Easter holiday stay at Dalguise Activity Centre, near Dunkeld.

At least three pupils were taken to hospital, with one of their parents saying their son was “screaming” to be taken in for treatment.

And now a joint investigation into last week’s outbreak at PGL Dalguise has begun.

An NHS Tayside spokesperson said its health protection team is working with council environmental health officers to probe “a number of cases of suspected viral gastrointestinal illness at an activity centre in Perthshire”.

Their statement added: “NHS Tayside and Perth and Kinross Council have worked closely with staff at the facility.

“Appropriate advice has been provided to the people affected and no one is seriously ill.”

The statement added that gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting.

“It is most commonly caused by a virus (such as norovirus), but can also result from bacterial infection,” it continued.

A spokesperson for PGL Dalguise said: “We can confirm that there have been a few cases of sickness amongst one group of guests at our Dalguise centre.

“The safety and security of our guests and team is our number-one priority, and as soon as we were made aware we informed the local health authorities, closed off the room and undertook a deep clean of the infected area.

“We are continuing to review the situation and are in close contact with the impacted school, and hope that all affected recover quickly.”

The Carnoustie pupils had been at Dalguise.