Flu worries close Des Plaines school; W. Chicago high staying open
West Chicago's Community High School has joined the list of schools with a probable case of swine flu, but it will remain open.
Principal Moses Cheng announced on the school Web site that the school would remain open on the advice of the DuPage County Health Department.
The school will clean its "high-touch" surfaces this week, and Cheng asked students with flu-like symptoms to stay home.
Illinois reported six new confirmed cases of swine flu Monday, including the first two confirmed cases in Kane County.
The Kane cases involved one student at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia and a student at Marmion Academy in Aurora.
Cases are considered "probable" based on state tests that are 99 percent accurate, but considered "confrimed" by tests from the federal Centers for Disease Control against the swine flu virus strain.
The McHenry County Board of Health called a special meeting for 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the swine flu. No action was expected.
In Illinois, there are now 90 probable cases reported and nine confirmed. Of the confirmed, five are in Chicago, two in Kane County, one in DuPage County and one in McHenry County.
In Des Plaines, Algonquin Middle School will stay closed until Friday after it was learned a probable case of swine flu, also called H1N1 flu, was reported, the school district's Web site reported. The closing was based on the recommendation of the Cook County Public Health Department.
Other suburban schools that have had probable cases which have led to closures are: Larkin High School in Elgin, Ridge Circle Elementary in Streamwood, Haines Middle School in St. Charles, Ira Jones Middle School in Plainfield, St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin and Batavia High School. All are expected reopen sometime this week. All of the closures were based on the recommendations of county health officials.
The tally of confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. jumped Sunday to 245 in 35 states, but officials said that's largely from catching up on a backlog of lab tests rather than a sudden spurt in new infections.
The only swine flu death in the U.S. is that of a Mexican toddler who was visiting Texas.
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