Arlington school hit with stomach bug, 135 students call out sick

ARLINGTON, Va. - An Arlington school is warning parents after a stomach bug forced more than 100 students to stay at home.

A letter was sent home to parents after McKinley Elementary School, which has about 800 students, reported more than 100 student absences due to the bug. Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.

A second letter from the district's health bureau chief was sent to all families with students in Arlington Public Schools.

Health officials urged parents to make sure their children are washing their hands and to keep them home if they're sick. Parents were also encouraged to keep their children at home for at least 24 hours without symptoms before returning to school.

Arlington Public Schools said shared surfaces at McKinley Elementary School were being disinfected every day to help with the spread of the illness.