Health officials are calling on parents, caretakers, and workers at day-care centers and schools to help end an outbreak of a highly contagious intestinal illness called shigellosis.

The outbreak started in early November and has spread to about 60 day cares in the city and in north St. Louis County and two in Fenton, said

Health department cites almost 80 cases of shigella, which can cause diarrhea, stomach pain and fever

An outbreak of a diarrheal infection has hit daycares across the county the past few months, according to the Citrus County Health Department.

Since January there have been almost 80 confirmed cases of shigella and about 30 other possible