Two Winsted schools and a Granby school are closed Tuesday because of possible swine flu cases.
Winchester Public Schools have closed the William H. Batcheller School and the Isabelle M. Pearson School in Winsted Tuesday because of two suspected cases of swine flu. The students are being tested.
Wells Road Intermediate School in Granby will remain closed through Tuesday because of a “probable case” of swine flu. The school has been closed since last week because a student became sick after returning from a trip to Cancun, Addley said. The school will reopen Wednesday.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Farmington Valley Health District told Alan Addley, Superintendent of Schools, that an influenza test being conducted is categorized as a probable case for the H1N1 (swine) flu.
A probable case is an undetermined strain of influenza.
All other Granby schools remain open.
“Only the Center for Disease Control (CDC) can complete a test to determine whether or not this is a confirmed case for the H1N1 (swine) flu. Presently, school interventions provided by the CDC and CDPH for H1N1 flu cases categorized as probable and confirmed are the same,” Addley said.
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The results are not expected for several days.
“Under the current guidelines, the only reason we would consider closing additional schools in the district is if we were to have a probable or confirmed case in at least one other school within the district. The federal and state guidelines regarding school closings change daily,” Addley said.
Parents of Wells Road students are advised to limit their child’s exposure to large public or youth group type activities until they return to school on Wednesday. Parents across the district should observe their children for the development of flu-like symptoms and contact a physician if symptoms develop.
Officials from the Department of Health said the department will scale back on recommending that schools shut down if one student or staff member is sick.
There are two confirmed cases of swine flu and several possible cases in Connecticut. A child from Middlefield, who recently went on a family trip to Mexico, tested positive for the H1N1 Influenza virus. An adult in Stratford tested positive as well. That person is recovering and was never hospitalized. The H1N1 influenza virus test on a Quinnipiac student was negative.
