I found out today that the school located at my parish, St. Mel's Catholic Church, has been temporarily closed due to a possible now confirmed case of the swine flu:
As reports of swine flu cases accelerated worldwide, Sacramento County public health and church officials temporarily closed a Catholic school in Fair Oaks on Sunday because a student there is ill with what may be the new strain of influenza.
Local testing showed the ailing teenager from St. Mel School didn't have a standard flu strain, so samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which could have results as early as today.
A St. Mel seventh-grader had been in Mexico during the school's Easter break, then became ill and went home early on Monday, the first day of class after the break, said Kevin Eckery, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento.
Read the rest of the article here (as much as I hate linking to the Sacramento Bee)…
I think this was a good precaution to take. However, people must not over-sensationalize. Use common sense people. If your child gets sick, especially with flu-like symptoms, it is a good idea to keep them home. Practice good hygiene with your kids. Most of all, do not worry too much. Just stay on the look-out and be proactive.
Let us all pray for those affected by the swine flu. May this issue be solved soon, and those impacted return back to normal daily activities quickly.
Pax et bonum,
Dean
UPDATE 1 (1433): It has been confirmed that the illness at St. Mel's is swine flu. Read here.
UPDATE 2 (1914): Over at KCRA , they are reporting that the student in question is doing just fine. Deo Gratias! Right now, there are four other students being tested that have flu-like symptoms. Interesting, as I have heard different numbers everywhere... See the video here.
FINAL UPDATE IT SEEMS: Three out of four students reporting symptoms have been diagnosed. Maybe the numbers are correct this time. :) Read the story here.
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