Willamina schools close over flu fears

WILLAMINA, Ore. -  Willamina School District officials closed all schools in their district after they suspected three students of possibly having the swine flu.

Three siblings of a pair of infant twins that have tested positive for type-A influenza, which could also be the H1N1 "swine flu," attend Willamina kindergarten and grade schools.

The students have not shown signs of sickness but officials decided to take no chances and closed the schools. The infants' flu tests are being evaluated to see if they have the H1N1 virus, according to Cary Zimbrick, principal of Willamina Elementary School.

The district, located in Yamhill County, consists of three schools including Willamina Elementary School, a middle school and a high school.

About 430 students attend the grade school. There are 54 staff members there. A count of kindergarten students was not available.

Willamina is a small town located northwest of Salem. The town is located about 9 miles from another campus on the property of the Confederated Tribes of Grande Rhonde. That school has also been closed.

The infants and students' identity, gender and age were not released, except to say that one child was in kindergarten, another was in fourth grade and the third sibling was in the fifth grade.

Custodians were reportedly thoroughly cleaning the schools in Willamina and using "disinfectant bombs" in a bid to kill any possible remnants of the flu in the school.

District officials said the schools will be back open on Monday unless they are told otherwise by Oregon's DHS health department.

Elsewhere, Western Oregon University officials said classes at the Dallas campus would remain closed through at least Monday after a possible case was discovered there Thursday.

Students and families were alerted to the closure via email and text message.

The Willamina case is the second possible swine flu infection in Oregon.

Oregon Department of Human Services officials announced Thursday that a woman in Multnomah County had a “probable” case of the flu but was recovering.

Schools in Washington and across the nation have closed while officials monitor the outbreak of the swine flu, which has killed people in Mexico and has spread to other countries around the world.

Mexico City officials have taken drastic steps to try and curb the outbreak, including canceling sports events, closing schools and telling people to stay home.

Medical experts have said the strain of H1N1 is "mild" but still dangerous.

Twelve people have died in Mexico from the flu, according to revised figures released by the government there.