ROCKFORD, Mich. -- The investigation continues in Rockford where a stomach bug sickened dozens of football players and their parents. It forced them to forfeit their game last Friday.
Monday marked the first day back in class for Rockford students from summer break, as school officials work to keep the bug contained.
Health officials in Kent County said 25 football players, parents and coaches have been sickened by the bug. That's a slight drop from the first estimate of 30 to 50 people, but the health department said it is possible others just haven’t come forward.
Last week, the department traced the illnesses to a disease known as Cryptosporidiosis which is caused by microscopic parasites. ‘Crypto’ as it is known, is caused by fecal contamination, usually from water.
Today, we’re told lab tests confirmed another case of crypto among the group of 25 who have reported their illnesses. The health department is still working to pinpoint how and where the players got sick, but a common link is the varsity team.
Some parents and coaches made a trip north to Roscommon just a few weeks ago. As for the affected students, Rockford superintendent Michael Shibler said most of them are now on prescription medication and everyone is being told to practice good hygiene.
Shibler said, "I'm anticipating that everybody's washing their hands, and I'm anticipating that the water that they are drinking, which is either bottled water or water from the tap at the high school, is clean. So it should be not a problem. Not an issue."
He went on to say that until the health department officially determines the source, no one can be certain if there's a risk to any other students, but they’re doing their best to keep everyone healthy. As for this Friday’s game, Shibler told us the team is expected to practice and play this week.
