Modesto Bee Article

Bee Staff Reports
last updated: August 27, 2009

Health officials are investigating a possible swine flu outbreak at a Modesto elementary school.

Stanislaus County Public Health Officer Dr. John Walker this morning confirmed that an investigation is under way at Great Valley Academy, a 400-student kindergarten through fourth-grade charter school on Tully Road that opened last year. The health department got a report of a possible novovirus outbreak this morning.

It isn't clear how many children are sick. Walker said his office had a report that a child care worker at the school is seriously ill, but "we haven't been able to confirm that."

Nurses are gathering information and working with the county Office of Education on how to proceed, Walker said.

Earlier in the year, the federal Centers for Disease Control recommended schools with confirmed cases close their doors. The CDC has since changed its policy, leaving such decisions to local officials on a case-by-case basis.

"We're very concerned," he said. "But we have been working with the school system for more than three years on what to do in a pandemic situation." Health and school officials also met over the summer regarding the swine flu threat specifically.

Walker said his department should have more information this afternoon.