Swine flu shuts down Forest Grove district schools

Cornelius Elementary School student listed as a probable case of H1N1 virus

By John Schrag

The Forest Grove News-Times, May 2, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

Forest Grove School District officials will decide Tuesday afternoon whether to reopen schools in the district after closing them this week because of concerns over swine flu.

Officials canceled all school functions Monday and Tuesday after a student from Cornelius Elementary School became one of Washington County's first two probable cases of swine flu.

"The action we took was precautionary," said Supt. Jack Musser. "It was not intended to panic anyone."

While acknowledging the inconvenience the decision caused students, staff and parents, Musser said "we all have to be alert and cautious."

Custodial crews spent Monday disinfecting the all the school buildings, including Cornelius Elementary, which will remain closed all week.

School administrators, working with county health officials, hope to have a better sense of the extent of the virus' reach by mid-day Tuesday.

Meanwhile, all sports, clubs and other school activities at all schools are canceled for Monday and Tuesday. Students are asked not to congregate in other settings or at any of the school playgrounds on those days.

The Cornelius Elementary student, along with an unrelated adult from elsewhere in the county, were identified late Friday following testing by the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory. Both individuals are at home and recovering.

Additional testing of the two cases will be conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm whether the virus was, in fact, contracted, officials said. So far, there are no confirmed cases of influenza A H1N1 (Swine flu) virus in Washington County.

"We're glad to report that in this situation, the patients are recovering as we would hope," Washington County Health Officer Paul Lewis said Saturday in a prepared statement. "Today's announcement reminds us of how important it is to continue our prevention efforts."

District officials closed the schools at the recommendation of county health officials. In addition to the probable case at Cornelius Elementary School, health officials said there are several other suspected cases at other schools in the district.

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