Flu outbreak closes several North Texas schools for the week
The Brief
Schools in Comanche and Godley ISD are closed because of an outbreak of the flu and other respiratory illnesses.
Doctors at Cook Children's and Children's Health confirmed they are also seeing a high number of cases this week.
Experts urge people to stay home if they feel sick.
DALLAS - Several schools across North Texas have closed for the rest of the week as the flu and other illnesses spread through campuses, causing attendance rates to drop significantly.
What we know
At least three school districts and one charter school have shut down for the remainder of the week. In statements, district officials said attendance among both students and staff was already low, and even more students went home sick after being exposed to illnesses on campus.
The following schools and districts have announced closures:
Comanche ISD – Closed until Jan. 30
Godley ISD – Closed until Feb. 3
Treetops School International – Closed until Feb. 3
Other districts, including Caddo Mills ISD, have reported extremely low attendance but remain open.
By the numbers
On Tuesday, Godley ISD reported that nearly 650 students were absent, not including those who went home sick during the day. That's out of 3,200 enrolled students.
An additional 60 staff members were out sick on Tuesday.
Districts that remain open have reported attendance rates between 70% and 80%, far below normal levels.
What they're saying
"The overwhelming information that we received was that it was in the best interest of the health and safety of our students and staff to close down for a few days," said Jeff Meador, the chief communications officer at Godley ISD.
What's next
Staff at closed campuses will work to deep clean and sanitize facilities, according to officials from Treetops School International, Godley ISD, and Comanche ISD.
Meanwhile, districts that remain open are urging students to wash their hands frequently and stay home if they are sick to prevent further spread.
"It feels like everyone is saying that they have the flu or they know somebody who has the flu. That's what we're seeing," said Dr. Preeti Sharma, a pediatric pulmonologist with Children's Health.
According to the Dallas hospital system, doctors saw 783 Influenza A cases during the week of Jan. 19. That's an 83% increase from the week prior.
They're also seeing an increase in rhinovirus.
"Sometimes you just get overwhelmed with the number of people who are sick at the same time. And so it may, that may necessitate kind of closing a school or trying to isolate people to control the spread," Dr. Sharma said.
Cook Children's said flu cases are surging there too.
Last week, the Fort Worth-based hospital system's ERs and urgent care offices in Fort Worth and Prosper saw more than 900 positive flu cases.
Cook Children's said this year's flu season is shaping up to surpass the past several years.
Experts say it's important to do your part to stay healthy.
"Wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer. The other thing, if you feel bad and you don't feel just right, and especially if you're running a fever, you need to stay home," said Stephen Love, the president and CEO of the DFW Hospital Council.
Symptoms of common contagious respiratory illnesses include:
fever* or feeling feverish/chills
cough
sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
muscle or body aches
headaches
fatigue (tiredness)
some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
*It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Runny nose
Congestion
Decrease in appetite
Coughing
Sneezing
Fever
Wheezing
The Source
Information in this article comes from statements made by Treetops School International, Godley ISD, Comanche ISD, and Caddo Mills ISD. FOX 4 also conducted interviews with Dr. Preeti Sharma, a pediatric pulmonologist with Children's Health, and Stephen Love with the DFW Hospital Council.
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