Health citation to be issued to school, children safe to return

A health citation will be issued to Pima Butte Elementary School for failure to keep classroom and non-classroom areas free of rodents, according to a report released by the Pinal County Division of Environmental Health today.

This citation for failing to meet required state and administrative rules comes after health officials inspected the school in response to reports of “mice infestation” by parents.

“Based on observation and inspection results, the reports of infestation could not be substantiated,” stated the report.

The report also states “conditions are such that closure of the facility is not warranted, and the building is safe to occupy for children and staff, provided school officials continue to follow the rodent control plan.”

Health inspectors did find signs of mice and said “the rodent problem is currently being brought under control,” as a major clean up effort took place during the weekend. Inspectors also noted that mice are common in schools everywhere and that minimizing their exposure to children and staff is the goal.

The citation isn’t like a traffic ticket, according to Public Health Director Tom Schreyer. He describes it like a violation a restaurant would receive for a health code violation.

“We want them to fix it,” he said.

Failure to comply with the citation would run the school the risk of being shut down. However, Maricopa Unified School District Superintendent, Dr. John Flores, assured health officials they would do “whatever it takes” to comply.

These efforts have already begun, according to Schreyer. He said the key is to maintain the standard once they get it under control.

The health department worked with officials to create a rodent control program that involves the following:

• Placing sufficient numbers of traps throughout the school and documenting the location and date of placement of traps;
• Developing a log of locations that mice are found in traps so that actions can be taken to track the source of the mice;
• Developing a log that documents any report of mouse droppings so that proper sanitation and trapping measures can be taken;
• Eliminating food sources by limiting food to the cafeteria only;
• Eliminating materials that can be used for nesting;
• Requiring that staff immediately report any mouse droppings to administration; and
• Participate in ongoing inspections from the Pinal County Division of Environmental Health.

Pinal County Health Officials said they will continue to monitor for threats of health risks at the school, and they will take whatever action necessary to protect the health and safety of students and staff.

Hantavirus concerns
What started the excitement about mice at the school was what Schreyer called overblown rumors of Hantavirus – a disease caused by viruses in rodent urine, droppings or saliva are stirred into the air and breathed in.

“If there was Hantavirus, we’d know it,” Schreyer said.

He said infection generally occurs where there is an abundance of mouse dropping that are stirred up when someone sweeps or vacuums, causing particles carrying the virus to become airborne.

“You don’t get it from three droppings,” he said, referring to the health departments findings yesterday.

Some parents reported that their children were getting sick and that they were afraid it might be the disease. One parent reported that one of her children got sick from the other, fearing a spreading of the disease.

Schreyer said this proves it is not Hantavirus.

“It can not be transmitted from human to human,” he said.

Some parents felt a mouse and the air quality should be tested for the disease as suggested in an e-mail distributed by administrators from the school.

“There is no air test available for Hantavirus,” Schreyer said. He also said that testing mice for the virus is ineffective. “Neither state nor local officials believe testing will tell us something about the health risks we don’t know.”