DYER BROOK, Maine — A number of students at Southern Aroostook Community School were absent last week due to sickness and attendance remains sporadic this week after confirmed cases of Influenza A have been found among students.
Superintendent Jon Porter said Tuesday that he could not say how many students were out sick from the school last week, only that it was “a significant number.”
“We have had confirmed cases of Influenza A,” he said. “And there have been a number of students who were out sick with illnesses. I don’t have the exact number, but it was very noticeable.”
Porter said that attendance this week remains “sporadic.”
“I think we are seeing a few more students return,” he said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Type A flu or influenza is constantly changing and is generally responsible for the large flu epidemics. Between 6 and 7 million people have been sick with influenza so far during the 2018-2019 season, according to data released on Jan. 11, 2019, from the CDC. Influenza activity in Maine is listed as light thus far, according to the CDC.
Up to half of those who have or had influenza have sought medical care for their illness, and between 69,000 and 84,000 people nationwide have been hospitalized from flu.
There have been between 26 and 50 positive influenza tests in Aroostook County during the current flu season, according to the Maine Centers For Disease Control.
Porter said he was so concerned about combating the spread of germs that he approved an extra shift for the custodial staff over the weekend so they could better clean and wipe down high traffic areas.
“The teachers have been doing this anyway,” he said. “But I felt that we needed more time to focus on areas like doorknobs, the main areas around the libraries and the gymnasium, and especially the elementary wings.”
He also said that he has sent out notices to remind parents to keep their children home if they are showing any signs of illness.
“Besides that, the teachers are trying to stay on top of it,” he said. “Reminding kids to cough into their sleeves, wash their hands and all that.”
Porter said that winter time is especially challenging in a kindergarten through grade 12 school like the community school.
“We are all in one building, and there are entire families of siblings here,” he said. “So an illness can go through an entire family, with one child passing it to another. We all get impacted here.”
Calls to other local schools about flu activity were not returned Monday and Tuesday.
