Md. Schools Closed by Swine Flu to Reopen Wednesday
DC school to remain closed through the week
Maryland schools closed because of the swine flu scare will reopen Wednesday under a new CDC directive.
WASHINGTON -- Following amended guidelines from U.S. health officials, all Maryland schools closed because of possible swine flu cases will reopen Wednesday.
On Tuesday, health officials said schools with possible cases do not have to close for up to 14 days, a reverse of the Centers for Disease Controls recommendation from last week.
"All health officials and chosen others have been listening to a conference call with Secretary (Kathleen) Sebelius and Dr. (Richard) Besser and others, and we do have the news that has been recommended and decided that it will not be necessary to keep our schools closed," said Dr. Ulder Tilman, of the Montgomery County Health Department. "It is important for everyone to remember, however, that our influenza outbreak is not over and we're still learning in terms of what is happening."
Monday night, Prince George's County Schools announced that a second probable case turned up in a student at Montpelier Elementary in Laurel. Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville became the sixth school in Maryland and third in Prince George's County to close due to swine flu.
On Friday, Maryland school officials closed Rockville High School in Montgomery County, Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore County, Folger McKinsey Elementary School in Anne Arundel County and Montpelier Elementary School in Prince George's County. All of the schools had at least one student with a probable case of swine flu. University Park Elementary School in Hyattsville was shut down Monday after a teacher became a possible case.
Four of Maryland's probable cases have been confirmed. The confirmed cases include a student from Milford Mill Academy, two other cases involving Baltimore County adults and a case involving a preschool-age child at Folger McKinsey Elementary School in Anne Arundel County.
The D.C. Department of Health and the Archdiocese of Washington agreed to close an elementary school until next week after a staff member was identified as a probable case of swine flu. Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene officials determined late Monday that the staffer at Our Lady of Victory has a probable case of the illness, D.C. health officials said. The staffer was last at school with symptoms of the flu on Friday, they said.
After participating in a conference call with the CDC, D.C. health officials and the archdiocese agreed to stand by the initial decision to keep Our Lady of Victory closed for the remainder of the week and reopen the school on Monday. No one else has reported illness at the school,
On Sunday, a Howard University student and another George Washington University student were added to the list of probable cases of swine flu. Howard officials said the student has recovered but will be isolated until test results come back from the CDC. The Howard student became infected after traveling abroad last month, officials said.
Two freshmen at GW previously were placed in a private dorm after they became sick. They have since recovered. The latest possible case at GW did not require hospitalization.
Classes at both schools have already ended for the semester. The campus will remain open and all activities including final examinations and commencement exercises will proceed as scheduled.
In Virginia, there are three confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus. One patient is a man from eastern Virginia, and the second is a woman from the central part of the state. A student at Washington and Lee University also came down with a mild case but is recovering. Authorities also are looking into a second possible case at the school.
Here's how to contact your local flu hotlines:
- Maryland: 877-MDFLU4U (877-633-5848), open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. E-mail questions to swineflu@dhmh.state.md.us.
- Montgomery County: 240-777-4200, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Virginia: 877-ASK-VDH3 (275-8343), 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- The District: 311, if calling from a D.C. number; for those calling from a non-D.C. number, 202-737-4404.
Posted Monday, Jul 13, 2009 - 10:10 PM EST
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