Blackhawks' Bedard injured on last-second faceoff, to miss game against Red Wings on Saturday

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Chicago star Connor Bedard was injured on a last-second faceoff in a3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blueson Friday night and will miss the Blackhawks' game the following day.

With 0.8 seconds left, Bedard attempted to win the draw to give Chicago one last chance, but he was knocked down by Blues center Brayden Schenn. He grasped at his right shoulder and immediately headed to the locker room, accompanied by a trainer, while his teammates remained on the ice and the bench.

"He won't play tomorrow," Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said of the team's game at home against Detroit on Saturday night. "I won't know more info tomorrow, so don't ask me tomorrow. At some point through the weekend, I'll know more, so I'd probably have more info come Monday."

Asked whether Bedard's injury would only be short-term, Blashill offered few details.

"I'd hate to say that without knowing the information," he said. "Until we get the information, again, he's not going to play tomorrow."

Bedard ranked fifth in the NHL in points heading into the game, and he assisted on both of Chicago's goals in the loss. He now has 12 goals and 25 assists.

He was pushed into desperation mode when the Blues iced the puck and a half-second was put back on the clock. Blashill said he'd have to see the play again, but his initial impression was that nothing dirty occurred on the play.

"Honestly, I think it's a freak accident," Blashill said, "to be honest with you."

AP NHL:https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Blackhawks' Bedard injured on last-second faceoff, to miss game against Red Wings on Saturday

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Chicago star Connor Bedard was injured on a last-second faceoff in a3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blueson Fr...
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza headlines college football award winners

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza turned the 2025 College Football Awards ceremony into his own highlight reel Friday, sweeping the Maxwell Award for most outstanding player and the Davey O'Brien Award, given to the nation's top quarterback.

Mendoza piloted the Hoosiers to a 13-0 season, a Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

The Cal transfer shattered Indiana's single-season passing touchdown mark with 33, completing 71.5% of his throws for 2,980 yards against six interceptions, and added 240 rushing yards with six scores. He beat out Notre Dame running Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin for the Maxwell, and topped Texas A&M's Marcel Reed and Sayin for the O'Brien.

USC's Makai Lemon claimed the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, becoming just the second Trojan to win it after Marqise Lee in 2012. Lemon finished with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, stringing together four 150-plus yard games (tied for most in FBS). UConn's Skyler Bell and Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State were the other finalists.

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez edged a loaded field for the Chuck Bednarik Award as college football's best defensive player. The Red Raiders star stacked 117 tackles, including 11 for loss, four interceptions and a sack in 13 games to hold off finalists Caleb Downs (Ohio State) and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) for the award. Rodriguez also won the Butkus Award as the top linebacker.

At running back, Notre Dame's Love delivered the program's first Doak Walker Award. Love churned out 1,372 rushing yards (6.9 per carry) and 18 touchdowns, adding 280 receiving yards and three more scores. Missouri's Ahmad Hardy and Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy rounded out the finalists.

Indiana's renaissance doubled down with Curt Cignetti repeating as Coach of the Year. Cignetti's Hoosiers snapped a 32-game skid vs. Ohio State to win their first Big Ten crown in 58 years and secure the CFP's top seed.

Several other marquee honors were awarded on the night. Utah's Spencer Fano captured the Outland Trophy as best interior lineman after not allowing a sack this season; Iowa's Logan Jones and Ohio State's Kayden McDonald were finalists. Jones edged out Florida's Jake Slaughter and Iapani Laloulu of Oregon for the Rimington Trophy as college football's best center. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers claimed the John Mackey Award as the top tight end after catching 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns, ahead of Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and Baylor's Michael Trigg.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs won the Jim Thorpe Award for top defensive back with 60 tackles, five TFLs, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a sack, beating LSU's Mansoor Delane and Notre Dame's Leonard Moore. Georgia's Brett Thorson took the Ray Guy Award (best punter) over Troy's Evan Crenshaw and Baylor's Palmer Williams, averaging 45.2 yards per boot. Oklahoma's Tate Sandell earned the Lou Groza Award (best kicker) after going 23-for-24 on field goals and a perfect 32-for-32 on extra points, topping Georgia Tech's Aidan Birr and Hawaii's Kansei Matsuzawa.

With Mendoza headlining the haul, and Cignetti taking top coaching honors for a second straight year, Indiana's storybook climb has the individual hardware to match. The Heisman awaits, with Mendoza joined by Love, Sayin and Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia as the finalists, with the award being handed out Saturday night in New York.

Award winners:

Maxwell: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Davey O'Brien: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Biletnikoff: USC WR Makai Lemon

Bednarik: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

Butkus: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

Doak Walker: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Mackey: Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers

Outland: Utah RT Spencer Fano

Rimington: Iowa C Logan Jones

Thorpe: Ohio State S Caleb Downs

Ray Guy: Georgia P Brett Thorson

Lou Groza: Oklahoma K Tate Sandell

Coach: Indiana's Curt Cignetti

--Field Level Media

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza headlines college football award winners

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza turned the 2025 College Football Awards ceremony into his own highlight reel Frid...
Who wins NBA Cup semifinals? Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Spurs hit Vegas

Regardless of what happens, there will be a newNBC Cupchampion.

After theLos Angeles Lakerswon the inaugural event in 2023 – then called the NBA In-Season Tournament – and after theMilwaukee Buckswon it last season, the NBA Cup trophy will now go to one of the four semifinal teams: theOrlando Magic,New York Knicks,San Antonio SpursorOklahoma City Thunder.

Both East and West games will take place Saturday, Dec. 13 in Las Vegas, with the final set for Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Here's everything you need to know about the two matchups in the 2025 NBA Cup semifinals: theOrlando Magic vs. the New York Knicksand theSan Antonio Spurs vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder:

NBA CHAMPS:Insane stats show just how dominant Thunder are this season

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center. Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena. <p style=Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena. Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum. Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum. Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

Orlando Magicvs.New York Knickspreview

It's mid-December and these two teams might already be tired of one another.

Saturday's showdown will mark the fourth matchup between these two teams, and, interestingly, all of them have come in the last month. The Magic won the first two contests, though New York took the more recent meeting, 106-100, on Sunday, Dec. 7.

The Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season, having won eight of their last nine. During this recent stretch,Jalen Brunsonhas been stellar, averaging 28.2 points and 5.7 assists per game over that stretch.

Karl-Anthony TownsandMikal Bridgeshave also produced big games over this recent stretch, though New York's most promising development has been the return of forwardOG Anunoby, who had missed nine games with a hamstring injury. Since his return, Anunoby has helped spark intense defensive effort from the Knicks, who have allowed opponents to score just 104.3 points per game in that span.

While New York got healthy, Orlando will be without one of its stars.

ForwardFranz Wagnersuffered an awkward fall during this most recent loss against the Knicks Sunday and waslater diagnosed with a high-ankle sprainthat will likely sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.

While the Magic won their following game,Tuesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Miami Heat, Wagner leads the Magic in scoring (22.7 points per game), so Orlando will need to adjust.

The good news for the Magic is that guardDesmond Bane, after a slow start to the season, has picked up his scoring; over his last six games, he has produced three separate 37-point performances.

This matchup, however, will be strength on strength, and could very well be a future preview of a playoff showdown. The Magic rank sixth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.5), while the Knicks rank second in offensive rating (121.8).

∎Prediction: Knicks win, 116-107

San Antonio Spursvs.Oklahoma City Thunderpreview

Guard De'Aaron Fox, right, and the San Antonio Spurs will try to take down guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup.

The Thunder are the best team in basketball. The Spurs, with their core of young talent, might be the squad to eventually contend with Oklahoma City, in what could be a blossoming rivalry in the West.

But, right now, it's theThunder who are dominant. They have sprinted out to a 24-1 record and are on pace to obliterate the single-season record for scoring margin – which they set last season.

Because late leads have been so out of hand, reigning Most Valuable PlayerShai Gilgeous-Alexanderhas sat more fourth quarters (13) than ones he has played (11). Despite that, he's averaging 32.6 points per game, which is second best in the NBA.

Yet, the wild thing is that the Thunder's preferred starting lineup still hasn't played a single minute this season, asJalen Williamsmissed extended time before his return Nov. 28, and centerIsaiah Hartensteinis currently out.

For the Spurs, it's a different story. The team isexpected to have star phenom Victor Wembanyama backfrom a left calf strain, as San Antonio upgraded him to probable on the injury report that dropped Friday, Dec. 12.

Wembanyama has missed the last 12 games with the injury, but the Spurs have been steady – if not stellar – in his absence. San Antonio has gone 9-3 in that span, and guardsDe'Aaron Fox,Stephon CastleandDylan Harperhave been the catalyst in getting the Spurs to push tempo.

It will be interesting to see if San Antonio opts to keep that strategy now that Wembanyama is expected back. The main issue, however, is that the Thunder are not only the best defensive team in basketball – and by a wide margin – but they also excel in transition, clogging lanes.

San Antonio, though, presents unique matchup problems for Oklahoma City.Chet Holmgrenwill likely be tasked with defending Wembanyama, though it will take an overall concerted effort. This could very well be a preview of the Western Conference finals.

∎Prediction: Thunder win, 109-108

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Spurs play in NBA Cup semifinals. Who wins?

Who wins NBA Cup semifinals? Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Spurs hit Vegas

Regardless of what happens, there will be a newNBC Cupchampion. After theLos Angeles Lakerswon the inaugural eve...
Getty

AfterAndy Dick's drug overdose this weekprovoked panicked concernamong friends, he's checked himself into rehab … Dick himself tells TMZ.

Andy tells TMZ he is currently entering a rehabilitation facility in the Palm Springs, California area.

TMZ

Andy was very animated on the phone with us … he's cracking jokes and it's clear he's ready to commit to clean up … he tells us he's grateful to be getting help.

Andy tells us … "JennyGimenezis my sister who saved me with Tim" …Tim Ryanis Jen's husband. They're both sober.

TMZ

Jennifer was on "Celebrity Rehab" with Andy. They've been friends for 20 years.

Jenny and Tim tell TMZ they got Andy a "full ride scholarship offer" because of their connections to the center … meaning his stay won't be on his own dime.

Andy Dick Checks Himself Into Rehab Facility Outside L.A.

AfterAndy Dick's drug overdose this weekprovoked panicked concernamong friends, he's checked himself into rehab … Dick himself tell...
'Boston Blue' Recast Donnie Wahlberg's Son: Where Is Andrew Terraciano Now?

Boston Blue's newest episode really affectedDonnie Wahlberg's character, Danny, who got emotional about his relationship with son Sean.

During the Friday, December 12, episode of the hit CBS series, Danny (Wahlberg) and Lena (Sonequa Martin-Green) were put on a case involving a young child who saw his father get murdered. Danny was visibly shaken up and continued to be drivenby his personal connection to the incident.

He was able to solve the case by the end of the episode, which only made Danny want to call his son Sean (Mika Amonsen) — and father Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) — even more once the job was done. Boston Blue has touched on Danny's attempts to mend his previously strained relationship with his son.

Danny's journey in New York was featured on CBS'Blue Bloods, which ran from 2010 to 2024. The spinoff, which premiered in October, kicked off with Danny visiting Boston after Sean ended up in a coma. This version of Sean looked a little different after the role was previouslyplayed byAndrew Terraciano.

Boston Blue's Shocking Recasting of Donnie Wahlberg's Son Sean From 'Blue Bloods' Explained

"There's been some negativity, for sure," Amonsen exclusively toldUs Weeklylast month about taking over the role. "But when I look under those posts that have the negativity, there's a lot of fans rallying for Sean and people saying that they really enjoyed this character that I've created — or my version of character."

Amonsen noted thathe wanted to makeBlue Bloodsfans happy with his performance, saying, "They're really enjoying the show and they love where it's going in terms of Sean and that makes me happy."

BOSTON BLUE

The actor recalled feeling "a ton of pressure" over the situation.

"I felt the pressure to respect an actor before me because I wanted to respect Andrew the best I could. There were even certain visual choices that I made that I wanted to keep in terms of hair styling and certain ways of being [as Sean]," he continued. "I really want to maintain Sean as close as I can in the ways that I do it out of respect for this character that everyone loves — but also the character Andrew built."

He continued: "When I booked the show, it all happened really quickly. It was within about a week's time and I was really thrown into it quickly. I did binge watch as much as I could and I found doing the later seasons was more helpful. I wanted to get a sense of who Sean was toward the end of the show. I really wanted to get a sense of his character at that point into adulthood and his relationship with Danny."

Terraciano, meanwhile,broke his silence toUsabout the shakeup.

'Blue Bloods' Family Guide: Meet the Reagans Amid CBS Spinoff 'Boston Blue'

"I had somebody call me — actually the day that I was graduating — and they had spoken to my mom and she called me [crying]. They were like, 'They might be looking for a different Sean,'" Terraciano shared withUsin December about the onscreen change. "Shortly after we got the news, Donnie called me. It was a really beautiful moment of getting to hear from an old friend but also somebody that you respect so much and have learned so much from."

Terraciano expressed gratitudefor his time onBlue Bloods.

"It's beautiful because you'll always remember every single line and every day that you had the opportunity to be that character," he shared. "It doesn't mean for even a second that somebody else can't go and do something beautiful with it."

Terraciano continued: "I got the joy of playing Sean, and I got to send him off into the world. Now somebody else gets that joy. We're both getting to show what we do and then send Sean off into the world."

Boston Blueairs on CBS Fridays at 10 p.m. ET.

Blue Bloods’ Donnie Wahlberg Gets Emotional About Onscreen Relationship With ‘Boston Blue’ Son After Recast

Boston Blue's newest episode really affectedDonnie Wahlberg's character, Danny, who got emotional about his relationship with son S...
Kevin Mazur/Getty for The Recording Academy; Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott; Taylor Swift/Instagram Taylor Swift at the 2025 Grammys; Taylor Swift for 'The Life of a Showgirl'; Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

Kevin Mazur/Getty for The Recording Academy; Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott; Taylor Swift/Instagram

What a year it's been forTaylor Swift.

When it seemed impossible for her to top her colossal 2024 — which included the release of her 11th albumThe Tortured Poets Departmentand the end of her record-breakingEras Tour— the pop star managed to outdo herself in 2025. In February, she attended theGrammysas a nominee and supported her soon-to-be fiancéTravis Kelceat theSuper Bowl. They made headlines by revealing theirengagementin August, on top of Swift announcing her 12th studio albumThe Life of a Showgirl.

Her new LP smashed sales records upon release in October, and she closed out the year by dropping her highly anticipated Eras Tour documentary,The End of an Era. OnThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she said that she strived for"longevity,"and 20 years into her career, she has accomplished just that.

As she celebrates her 36th birthday on Dec. 13, 2025, look back on Swift's successful year in photos.

February: Taylor Swift Attends the 2025 Grammys

Kevin Mazur/Getty Margaret Qualley and Taylor Swift

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Swift attended the2025 Grammysas a nominee in six categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. She also presented the award for Best Country Album, whichBeyoncéwon forCowboy Carter.

Throughout the ceremony, the superstar looked to be having the time of her life, dancing withMargaret Qualley, the wife of close collaboratorJack Antonoff, toastingKendrick Lamarand celebrating Beyoncé'sAlbum of the Year victory.

February: Taylor Swift Attends the Super Bowl

Gregory Shamus/Getty Taylor Swift

Gregory Shamus/Getty

A week later, Swift touched down in New Orleans to support her boyfriend Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs attempted to win their third Super Bowl in a row. Notably, when the jumbotron showed the singer in the stands and the crowd booed, sheshrugged and laughed the momentoff.

May: Taylor Swift Buys Back Her Masters

TAS Rights Management Taylor Swift

TAS Rights Management

Six years after her Big Machine Records catalog was sold toScooter Braun, Swift penned a heartfelt letterannouncing that she had reacquired the mastersfor her first six albums.

"I've been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out that this is really happening," she wrote in astatement on her website. "I really get to say these words: All of the music I've ever made... now belongs... to me. And all my music videos. All the concert films. The album art and photography. The unreleased songs. The memories. The magic. The madness. Every single era. My entire life's work."

June: Taylor Swift Performs in Nashville

Kane Brown/Instagram Travis Kelce, Kane Brown and Taylor Swift

Kane Brown/Instagram

For her first performance since wrapping her Eras Tour in December 2024, the singer-songwriterpopped out at her boyfriend's Tight Ends & Friends concertin Nashville, surprising the crowd by singing "Shake It Off" withKane Brown.

"We would like to dedicate this to our favorite players who are going to play and these are the tight ends," she said to introduce the hit single.

An exclusive source told PEOPLE, "The crowd lost their minds! At the end of her performance she made sure to thank the band and gave each one of them a hug."

July: Travis Kelce Hard Launches Taylor Swift on Instagram

Travis Kelce/Instagram  Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce/Instagram

Kelceposted photos with Swift on his Instagram for the first timeon July 24 in his off-season recap. They posed together in his-and-hers caps that read "Captain" and "First Mate," and they matched in sleek black outfits in a cute dinner snap. In another photo, the two had a snow day withErin Andrewsand other close friends, likely taken during theirwinter getawayto Montana.

"Had some adventures this offseason, kept it 💯," he captioned the slideshow, cheekily referring to his girlfriend's then-unreleased song "The Fate of Ophelia."

August: Taylor Swift Announces Her New Album on 'New Heights'

New Heights/YouTube Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

New Heights/YouTube

The star made herhighly anticipated debuton the Aug. 13 episode of boyfriend's podcastNew Heights, which he co-hosts with brotherJason. During her appearance, the trio chatted about herrelationshipwith Travis, her Eras Tour, her masters and, most importantly, her upcoming album:The Life of a Showgirl.

August: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Get Engaged

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Kelce and Swift broke the internet with the biggest engagement announcement of the year on Aug. 26.

"Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨," the "Opalite" singer captioned the intimate, lavish garden proposal that took place in Kelce's backyard after they taped theNew Heightsepisode.

September: Taylor Swift Attends Selena Gomez's Wedding

Samm Blake Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift

In September, Swift supported her best friendSelena Gomezas theOnly Murders in the Buildingactress wedBenny Blancoin California. Over the next few weeks, the former Disney star shared photos from her nuptials, including a video of Swiftreactingto Gomez's wedding dress.

View this post on Instagram

October: Taylor Swift Releases 'The Life of a Showgirl'

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl' cover

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot

The Life of a Showgirlwas released on Oct. 3 to unprecedented commercial success. The album, produced byMax Martinand Shellback, received the most streams in one day on Apple Music and Spotify, and in its first week, itsold over four million album-equivalent units— the most for any LP in history.

"I'll never forget how excited I was in 2006 when my first album sold 40,000 copies in its first week. I was 16 and couldn't even fathom that that many people would care enough about my music to invest their time and energy into it," she wrote onInstagramto celebrate the accomplishment.

Swift continued, "I have 4 million thank yous I want to send to the fans, and 4 million reasons to feel even more proud of this album than I already was."

December: Taylor Swift Releases 'The End of an Era'

2025 TAS Rights Management Taylor Swift and her dancers

2025 TAS Rights Management

To cap off this year, she did a victory lap of her last three. On Dec. 12, she premieredThe End of an Era, a six-part docuseries on Disney+ that gave a behind-the-scenes look into the making of her Eras Tour, the highest-grossing tour of all time.

"We wanted to remember every moment leading up to the culmination of the most important and intense chapter of our lives, so we allowed filmmakers to capture this tour and all the stories woven throughout it as it wound down," she explained onInstagram.

Read the original article onPeople

Taylor Swift's 2025 in Photos, from Her Engagement to “The Life of a Showgirl” and “The End of an Era,” for Her 36th Birthday

Kevin Mazur/Getty for The Recording Academy; Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott; Taylor Swift/Instagram What a year it's been forTaylor Sw...
Google Maps Roberts Elementary School in Medford, Mass.

Google Maps

NEED TO KNOW

  • Roberts Elementary School in Medford, Mass., remains closed after more than 130 students and staff members were sickened with what officials believe is norovirus

  • Health officials examined the school's kitchen and do not believe it is the source of the outbreak

  • A professional company was brought in to deep-clean the school

A school in Massachusetts remains closed for deep cleaning after an outbreak of the virulentnorovirus infectionhas sickened more than 130 students and staff members.

Roberts Elementary School in Medfordoriginally announcedthe closure on Dec. 10, explaining that "there were over 130 student absences at the Roberts today, with further students and staff reporting at school today feeling symptoms of an upset stomach."

"We believe the cause of this outbreak is related to the increased spread of suspected Norovirus," the statement read.

As a result, the school would be closed the following day, Dec. 11; That's when Suzanne B. Galusi, Interim Superintendent of Medford Public Schools, and Michelle Crowell, Roberts Elementary Principal, sent anothercommunicationthat the school would remain closed for a second day due to additional cases of suspected norovirus.

Getty Stock image of a school desk being cleaned.

"More families have informed building and district leadership in the last 24 hours of their child experiencing symptoms of a stomach bug. Additionally, at this time, over 20 staff members at Roberts have notified the district of experiencing similar symptoms. Student and staff attendance rates are normal across all other schools in the district, both yesterday and today," the statement read.

Roberts Elementary remains closed for an extended deep clean. School officials explained, "A professional company is currently performing a deep clean of the school today, which includes all classrooms, door knobs, kitchen equipment, and frequently touched surfaces. They will finish their deep clean later today."

The U.S. is at the beginning of a norovirus surge, with the virus at "high" levels in wastewater, according toToday,which reports that in the coming weeks, cases are expected to rise.

Norovirus — which can cause uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea, along with stomach pain and nausea — commonly spreads in close quarters. Outbreaks frequently happen in dorms, schools and on cruise ships. An AIDA Cruises ship currently on a 133-day world tour with stops in the U.S., England, Mexico, Japan, and South Africa is dealing with an ongoingoutbreak of the virusthat has sickened more than 100 passengers and crew members.

The way it spreads is as nauseating as the virus itself: "You can get norovirus by accidentally getting tiny particles of feces (poop) or vomit in your mouth from a person infected with norovirus," theU.S. Centers for Disease Controlsays. "If you get norovirus illness, you can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can't see without a microscope. It only takes a few norovirus particles to make you and other people sick."

Prapass Pulsub/Getty Stock image of school cleaning supplies.

Prapass Pulsub/Getty

That's why it also spreads so easilyvia food, when meals are prepared by an infected person who didn't correctly wash their hands. However, school officials shared that the cafeteria and kitchen were inspected by the Medford Board of Health & the Department of Public Health, and reported that the outbreak "is not related to any school or kitchen equipment."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The best way to curb the spread of norovirus is by washing your hands, the CDC says — and Roberts Elementary School officials reminded families of that in their letter. "The best way to avoid the spread of Norovirus is to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; hand sanitizer is not effective," they wrote.

They also urged all students and staff to wait at least 24 hours after experiencing "vomit-like symptoms" before returning to school. The letter concluded, "Maintaining a safe and clean learning environment for our students and staff is our top priority, and we thank you for your understanding."

Read the original article onPeople

School Closed for 2 Days After Norovirus Outbreak Sickens More Than 130 Students and Staff

Google Maps NEED TO KNOW Roberts Elementary School in Medford, Mass., remains closed after more than 130 students and staff members were ...

 

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