A school in Popovaca (central Croatia) was closed after an outbreak of an unknown epidemic that landed 18 children in hospital, daily Jutarnji List writes.

The wave of sickness started yesterday (Thurs) afternoon when some 50 students and teachers began vomiting, experiencing diarrhoea and fever.

The situation worsened this morning when 143 out of 209 students and a large number of teachers stayed at home due to illness. Eighteen students were hospitalised.

All are recovering and their life is not endangered, the daily writes.

The sanitary inspectors closed the school down until it is cleaned and disinfected over the weekend. The school is expected to resume work on Monday.

Epidemiologists from the Public Health Institute do not yet know what caused the epidemic. They have taken samples from the patients that are currently being analysed.