More flu, fewer closings in Phila. region
One case of the disease formerly known as swine flu was confirmed in Camden County today and another 13 in the state of Delaware.
One case of the disease formerly known as swine flu was confirmed in Camden County today and another 13 in the state of Delaware.
But after more than a week watching the impact - almost all mild - of influenza A(H1N1) around the United States, public health officials are reopening schools or not closing them to begin with.
A student at the Edwin Forrest elementary school in Holmesburg was diagnosed today with a "probable" case. Rather than close the building to more than 1,000 students, however, Philadelphia School District officials sent a letter home to parents.
"Since the student has not been in school at any time when he/she might have been contagious (capable of spreading germs), there is very little risk to other students in the school," the letter said.
The Hainesport School in Burlington County, which was closed yesterday after two students were suspected of having the flu, will reopen tomorrow, officials said. Specimens from both students tested negative at the state lab in Trenton, officials said.
And in Wilmington, the Austin D. Baltz Elementary School is expected to reopen on Thursday even though a student there was confirmed today to have H1N1.
Red Clay Consolidated School District officials decided to close Baltz over the weekend when tests showed a "probable" case, and they later decided that logistics would make it difficult to reopen before Thursday regardless of the final test results.
Delaware now has 33 confirmed cases of H1N1, New Jersey has seven (including four in Burlington County and the new one in Camden County), and Pennsylvania has one (Montgomery County).
Contact staff writer Don Sapatkin at 215-854-2617 or dsapatkin@phillynews.com.
