Classrooms thinning as flu numbers rise

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Officials from some school districts report absentee rates are much higher and in some cases double what they were at this time last year.

Some Albuquerque public schools are reporting only a small fraction of their students have called in sick so far this year, while others have seen up to 17 percent of the student body out at any given time.

“It seems like it's spreading in clusters," Albuquerque Public Schools Nursing Director Cindy Greenberg said. "One week we'll see it very heavily in part of the city, and the next week well see it in another part of the city as we expect with pandemic flu.”

On Wednesday the state Department of Health reported that an otherwise healthy 28-year-old Lea County man had died from swine flu. That brings the number of fatalities reported to children and adults, five of whom did not have underlying health issues.

Greenberg said most of the absent APS kids are out for about three days and so far the cases seem to be mild.

The same is being said in Rio Rancho Public Schools where school officials have seen absentee rates running 7-13 percent in their schools.

The hardest hit school is Rio Rancho Mid-High School where 300 kids--24 percent of the student body--called in sick last week.

Los Lunas Superintendent Bernard Saiz said the daily absence rate in his district is averaging 15 percent of the district's student body. There are about 8,500 students enrolled, which means more than 1,200 students have been out on any given day.

Saiz said it’s not only a challenge to keep other kids from getting ill but to make sure those that heed the Department of Health warnings to stay home are able to keep up with school work.

“We are looking at the kids missing out on the work they need to be doing," Saiz said. "Kids miss certain segments, and it's hard for them to catch up."

In Las Cruces hundreds of elementary and middle school students will take home letters Thursday warning about the flu.

The school district reported the absence rates in those schools are well over 10 percent, double what the district normally sees this time of year.

Since the kids aren't being tested, there is no way to know for sure if all have H1N1.

The DOH has said those with flu-like symptoms more than likely have the swine flu because the seasonal flu hasn't reached New Mexico yet.