Durham schools remove produce from cafeterias amid cyclospora risk as year-round students return

Durham Public Schools will welcome back 4,000 year-round students on Monday with some big changes in place for school lunches amid the risk for cyclospora.

The district has removed all fresh produce from school cafeterias until September and will use canned and frozen fruits and vegetables in its place.

"As more information becomes available about targeted produce, we'll make further decisions," the district said.

The change comes as local health officials actively monitor cyclosporiasis cases. On Wednesday, there were 21 confirmed cases in Durham County.

WRAL News spoke with Dr. Jennifer Hidinger, a pediatrician, about why it's so important to keep kids protected while they're in school.

“Kids tend to have more diarrhea than the flu-like symptoms and the abdominal cramping that adults will more likely experience," Hidinger said. "The biggest thing to be aware of for kids is that they're at a higher risk of dehydration, and they are less tolerant of weight loss."

Nearly 30,000 students will attend Durham Public Schools this year. Traditional schools will start on August 24.

Dr. Anthony Lewis, superintendent for Durham Public Schools, shared his enthusiasm for the new school year.

"These first few days are all about building relationships with our scholars," Lewis said. "What we know is that students learn best when they feel safe and there is a sense of belonging. Our amazing educators do a tremendous job building those relationships so our students feel safe. It's more than just a fresh start, it's more than just opening our doors, it's also about opening opportunities for our scholars."

Across the state, more than 300 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in recent weeks, with the bulk of those in Wake County. The state also said 14 people have been hospitalized because of the stomach bug throughout North Carolina.  

In Wake County, 40,000 students attend a year-round schedule. WRAL News is working to learn if the district will make similar changes.