29 Atlanta students treated for itching, skin irritation

ATLANTA — Doctors treated several Atlanta students who complained of skin irritation and itching during science class Monday.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas went to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, where decontamination tents were placed outside. In all, 29 Brown Middle School students were taken to the emergency room. School officials are still trying to determine what caused the irritation.

"We are going to rely on the doctors to tell us what was the cause of the itching and skin irritations," Atlanta Public Schools spokesman Steve Alford said.

School leaders said the outbreak began shortly after noon on the third floor of the sixth- through eighth-grade building. Paramedics arrived to treat 14 students initially, then the numbers kept growing. The remaining students on the floor were moved to an auditorium as officials tried to figure out what caused the problems.

Alford said only students were affected.

"We had faculty in the area but they were not impacted. They did not complain of any symptoms," he said.

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WSBTV