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Two Illinois Schools Close Because of the Flu
The flu has hit two Illinois school districts so hard, that they've closed their schools. The South Fork schools in Kincaid, just South of Springfield, and the Eldorado schools in Southern Illinois are both closed Thursday. Both report that a quarter of their student population was sick.

South Fork also closed Tuesday, and staff cleaned and disinfected every surface that students could touch, but the absenteeism rate was worse on Wednesday. So, superintendent Bob Pritchett decided to close the school again today.

Angie Hampton, CEO of the Egyptian Health Department, sent two nurses to the Eldorado schools to help screen students Wednesday. By the time they counted absences and screened students who took fever-reducing medicine before coming to school, nearly 300 kids were out with the flu. Hampton says the health department and school district administration agreed to close schools both today and Friday, and hope he wave subsides over the weekend.

South Fork schools were going to be closed Friday anyway for a teachers' institute, and since Monday is Columbus Day and the schools are closed, the next school day will be Tuesday.

The South Fork schools have about 375 students. The Eldorado district has about 1,100. For more information about the flu, CLICK HERE.

(Illinois Radio Network)
10 08 09 by Newsroom
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