Swine flu confirmed at Asbury Park school

Swine flu confirmed at Asbury Park school

By NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU

Eight out of the 10 children tested last week for swine flu at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School have the virus, Monmouth County Health Officer Michael Meddis said Tuesday.

The number of sick children at the 400-pupil school doubled Tuesday from the 60 out last Thursday to 120 Tuesday. The number of sick teachers declined from 22 last Thursday to 13 on Tuesday, school officials said.

The school had been closed Friday and cleaned. School officials plan to keep the school open for now.

The outbreak of the H1N1 virus is the first documented in the public schools in Monmouth County, Meddis said.

"We know now there's swine flu in the community,'' Meddis said. "The cases are mild. So far, we haven't heard of any severe cases.''

Meddis said his department just learned that one additional case, a Belmar resident who went to a hospital emergency room, has tested positive for swine flu.

Meddis said the health department advises students with an influenza-type illness to remain out of school for at least seven days from the onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have ended.

Health officials have not advised the district to close schools as yet.

Anyone with a fever and a cough or sore throat should not attend school or go into the community for at least seven days, even if they have no more symptoms, Meddis said.

Acting School Superintendent James Parham said all parents would be notified about the swine flu breakout.

In other Asbury Park schools, the number of students and teachers out Tuesday was higher than normal, Parham said.

He gave the numbers for Tuesday and estimated total building numbers for comparison. The high school had 74 out of 474 students absent; the middle school had 50 out of 480; Bangs Elementary had 48 out of 360; and Bradley Elementary 28 out of 340.

The number of teachers out at the schools were: 14 at the high school, 15 at the middle school, 4 at Bradley and 12 at Bangs, Parham said.