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Carroll ISD warns about swine flu after middle school students fall ill
05:17 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
By JAIMIE SIEGLE / The Dallas Morning News
The Carroll school district is taking steps to inform parents about swine flu after Dawson Middle School in Southlake reported 25 students with symptoms this week and confirmed that one student had the flu.
Superintendent David Faltys sent to parents today a letter describing tips on combatting swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus. The school district also accelerated the release of a newsletter with safety precautions because of the recent surge in reported cases.
"This fall, health officials have changed their stance and are no longer sending samples away to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for confirmation of the H1N1 virus," he wrote. "All Type A Influenza cases are being considered and treated as 'presumed' H1N1."
In addition to the 25 students who stayed home from Dawson Middle School, six were sent home Tuesday with headache and fever. Old Union Elementary and Carroll Elementary each reported one case of Type A influenza, while Carroll High School alerted the school district of three cases that same day.
?Schools are going to be reporting much higher numbers of flu cases, especially during October, November and December when the seasonal flu hits,? said Julie Thannum, a Carroll ISD spokeswoman.
Carroll ISD will notify the public with flu updates daily on Dragon SafetyZone, a special health section of the district?s Web site.
Symptoms of the flu include cough, sore throat, headaches, upset stomach and vomiting. Students who report to the school clinic with two more or flu-related symptoms will be given a mask to wear until a parent arrives for pickup, the school district said.
The district has also placed an order for medical masks, hand sanitizers and extra tissues to distribute at schools.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...s/stories/090309dnmetsouthlake.13ed64d10.html
05:17 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
By JAIMIE SIEGLE / The Dallas Morning News
The Carroll school district is taking steps to inform parents about swine flu after Dawson Middle School in Southlake reported 25 students with symptoms this week and confirmed that one student had the flu.
Superintendent David Faltys sent to parents today a letter describing tips on combatting swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus. The school district also accelerated the release of a newsletter with safety precautions because of the recent surge in reported cases.
"This fall, health officials have changed their stance and are no longer sending samples away to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for confirmation of the H1N1 virus," he wrote. "All Type A Influenza cases are being considered and treated as 'presumed' H1N1."
In addition to the 25 students who stayed home from Dawson Middle School, six were sent home Tuesday with headache and fever. Old Union Elementary and Carroll Elementary each reported one case of Type A influenza, while Carroll High School alerted the school district of three cases that same day.
?Schools are going to be reporting much higher numbers of flu cases, especially during October, November and December when the seasonal flu hits,? said Julie Thannum, a Carroll ISD spokeswoman.
Carroll ISD will notify the public with flu updates daily on Dragon SafetyZone, a special health section of the district?s Web site.
Symptoms of the flu include cough, sore throat, headaches, upset stomach and vomiting. Students who report to the school clinic with two more or flu-related symptoms will be given a mask to wear until a parent arrives for pickup, the school district said.
The district has also placed an order for medical masks, hand sanitizers and extra tissues to distribute at schools.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...s/stories/090309dnmetsouthlake.13ed64d10.html