UPDATE 2:30 p.m. Feb. 1: St. Ignatius will close on Thursday and Friday in addition to Wednesday’s scheduled closure due to an outbreak of stomach flu. Classes now are not scheduled to resume until Monday, Feb. 6.

In a statement posted on the St. Ignatius website, Principal Patrick Ruff told students at the academically rigorous school to concentrate on their health.

“If students are feeling healthy enough to complete previously assigned work, they should plan on turning that in when they return to school on Monday, February 6.  Students should concentrate on their health and enjoy a break from school responsibilities,” Ruff’s statement reads.

“Athletes who experience symptoms should not attend practices or competitions until they have been healthy for 72 hours.”

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Saint Ignatius College Preparatory will close Wednesday for a thorough cleaning after dozens of students fell ill with the stomach flu.

“In addition to the approximately fifty students who called in sick today, we have sent over ninety students home today after suddenly becoming ill with the stomach flu at school,” reads a message from Principal Patrick Ruff posted on the SI website.

Classes at the Sunset District Catholic private school are cancelled for Wednesday and are scheduled to resume Thursday. In the meantime, after consultation with the San Francisco Department of Public Health the school on 37th Avenue plans to “deeply clean” its facilities.

Stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, can be caused by a number of different viruses and often causes vomiting and diarrhea. In spite of its common name, stomach flu isn’t caused by influenza viruses.

School officials are asking parents of students who exhibit symptoms of stomach flu to keep their children home for three days after they first become sick.

St. Ignatius lists an enrollment of 1,444 students, with 103 faculty members. SI was established in 1855. It opened its current campus in 1969 after moving from a location on Stanyan Street.