Three Camden County schools see spike in students reporting flu symptoms
OFFICIALS WITH CAMDEN County schools are surprised by the number of children being sent home with fevers, coughs and sniffles. Most expect to see flu symptoms in February rather than August. (Special to the Tribune & Georgian)
by Ellen Robinson
Published: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 9:29 AM EDT
The long lines of feverish children stacking up outside of school nurse stations across the county look more like what officials expect to see in February rather than in August, says Elaine Smiley, director of Camden County Schools Health Services.
So far there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in any Camden County schools, but the general flu, known has Type A Influenza, has already taken a strong hold in some schools. The alarmingly high number of children that are experiencing symptoms this early in the school year has officials bracing for a difficult flu season, according to Smiley.
Camden County Schools posted a message online and the most impacted schools sent letters home on Monday encouraging parents to keep sick children away from school. Inside the schools, nurses are putting an emphasis on good hand-washing techniques and other standard prevention measures in an effort to help curb the further spread of illnesses throughout the school system.
"The number of children being sent home is not typical for this time of year. This is looking more like what we see during the peak of flu season," said Smiley. "We've had a few confirmed cases of the flu, so as with any illness, we know there are more cases out there than what has actually been confirmed."
On Monday, 26 Camden Middle School students were sent home with fevers of 100 degrees Farenheight or higher. The number of children being affected with flu-like symptoms has triggered an investigation by the Camden County Health Department.
"They are looking into the cases to see if there is a common ground that can be pinpointed with the spread of the illnesses that we are seeing at Camden Middle," Smiley said. "There seems to be illness spreading in the student populations in the northern populations, but for some reason not at Woodbine Elementary School. It's been quiet so far up there."
A total of 122 Camden County High School students visited the school nurse's office and several of those were sent home because they were displaying flu-like symptoms on Monday, she said.
There are also two elementary schools - Mamie Lou Gross Elementary and St. Marys Elementary - that reported sending home a high number of students home after they were confirmed to have flu-like symptoms. Mamie Lou Gross Elementary off Harrietts Bluff Road has been reporting fevers and St. Marys Elementary students are suffering from stomach symptoms.
"When I spoke with the office at Mamie Lou Gross Elementary, they had 12 students waiting to see the school nurse at that moment," Smiley said. "There have been a lot of fevers hitting these schools very hard."
The policy for schools is to send children home when they are experiencing a fever of 100 degrees or higher. Smiley said the 100-degree mark typically indicates a person is contagious.
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