SEATTLE — At least six schools in the Puget Sound area have been closed by officials worried about possible cases of swine flu as the number of possible cases in Washington state continued to grow.
The Clover Park School District in Lakewood, south of Tacoma, closed Lakes High School today after three students showed flu-like symptoms, two of them serious enough for the teens to be admitted to a hospital. Officials stressed, however, that the cases had not yet been determined to be swine flu.
On Thursday, five schools in the Seattle, Federal Way and Mukilteo districts announced closures of up to a week because of students who had suspected cases or were related to people with possible flu.
State Health Department spokesman Tim Church said today that the state listed 10 probable swine flu cases, while Public Health-Seattle &King County reported three more possible cases in the Seattle area. The Clover Park cases were not included in those numbers.
Clover Park Superintendent Debbie LeBeau told a news conference today the closure and cancellation of all the high school’s programs and activities was simply a precaution and that she will decide over the weekend whether Lakes will reopen Monday. About 1,400 students attend the school.
Pierce County Health Department Director Dr. Anthony Chen said the three teens were taken Thursday night to Madigan Army Medical Center. One was released, but the other two were in the intensive care unit in serious but stable condition, he said.
Chen said health officials don’t know whether it’s the swine flu that first broke out in Mexico or another, more common variety. But because of the severity of the illnesses, it was decided to close the school, pending test results.
“We are taking an abundance of precaution here,” he told the news conference.
“These are not probable cases. This is a much lower threshold,” he said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
