Officials: Nearly 600 Oak Park students out sick

Officials say nearly 600 students in Oak Park Elementary School District 97 have missed school because of illness.

The district said about 10 percent of its students and staff members were absent Monday. It says it will be monitoring the situation closely and taking extra measures in cold and flu prevention, including extensively cleaning surfaces in school buildings.

School officials are encouraging sick students to stay home until their flu symptoms are gone for at least 24 hours.

The district oversees about 5,500 students at elementary and middle schools in Oak Park.