The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pupils hit with sickness bug at Perthshire centre
DALGUISE: Youngsters suffered diarrhoea and vomiting during visit
Health authorities have been alerted after pupils became ill during a school trip to a Perthshire adventure centre. Youngsters from Burnside Primary in Carnoustie suffered diarrhoea, vomiting and severe stomach pains during and after a stay at PGL Dalguise outdoor adventure centre, near Dunkeld. One 11-year-old was taken to Ninewells in Dundee, while another is thought to have also spent the night in the hospital. It is believed less than half of the school’s primary 7 pupils were well enough to return to class on Monday following the Easter break. One mother, who did not want to be named, said: “The symptoms started late Thursday evening and continued through the night. He had sickness and diarrhoea.” A PGL Dalguise spokesperson said: “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.” Last year Dalguise closed temporarily due to several schoolchildren and staff falling ill with a sickness bug.
Health authorities have been alerted after Carnoustie youngsters fell ill during a school trip to a Perthshire adventure centre.
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.
It is believed they had gastroenteritis or norovirus.
At least one 11-year-old pupil was taken to Ninewells and another is thought to have stayed overnight at the Dundee hospital.
It is estimated that less than half of Burnside’s P7 pupils were healthy enough to attend school when classes returned for summer term on Monday.
PGL Dalguise said it contacted health authorities and undertook a deep clean of an infected area as soon as it was made aware of the issue.
It comes less than a year after Dalguise was forced to close temporarily due to several schoolchildren and staff falling ill with a sickness bug.
Youngsters arrived at Dalguise on Tuesday, April 16 and left the following Friday.
Admission was around £320 for each child.
One mother told The Courier she had to take her son to Ninewells after he initially had an “amazing time” at the centre.
“The symptoms started late Thursday evening and continued through the night,” she added.
“He had sickness and diarrhoea.”
On Saturday she contacted NHS 24 who arranged an immediate appointment at King’s Cross Hospital, where the doctor referred him to Ninewells for that day.
He was prescribed antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection.
The mother said on Monday: “He is still not 100%. Today is the first day that he has done anything outside of his bed – except when I dragged him out to hospital.
“He still has diarrhoea but has managed to eat for the first time properly since Thursday evening.
“The activity centre definitely needs to be investigated – especially as it’s not the first time.”
Another mother said her son felt nauseous on Thursday.
“Within five minutes” of arriving home on Friday he vomited and suffered severe diarrhoea, she added.
He continued to feel through the weekend.
“My child is rarely unwell, so when he said he felt bad I knew he really was unwell,” she said.
“Seeing your child go through so much pain is awful.
“For many parents it’s the first time their child has been away from home so they are already worried that they will be OK – without having to agonise over them being sick due to ill cleanliness and general hygiene standards.
“This trip for the kids is eagerly awaited all year and the excitement before they left was amazing.
“Instead of adventurous and fun memories all they will take away from this is how sick they were.”
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.
“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 can confirm that we have had no connected sickness amongst any of the other 450 guests, or team at the centre.”
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “The school is encouraging all families to follow public health advice in relation to any suspected cases of gastroenteritis or norovirus.”