Hundreds of schools closed as A/H1N1 flu cases multiple in U.S.

Sick students are suggested to stay at home, while city emergency rooms are also largely filled with students who are severely ill, according to news reports on Thursday.
According to U.S. Education Department, at least 351 schools were closed in last week -- affecting more than 126,000 students in 19 states. So far, about 600 schools were closed in this school year altogether.
"This is scary," said Kathryn Marchuk, a nurse whose son attends St. Charles East High School outside Chicago, which closed for three days last week after about 800 of its 2,200 students called in absent. "So many people are sick. It's just everywhere."
Many school officials said they were afraid the virus would spread faster if they stayed open. They feel shutting down is the only feasible option.
Despite the exceptional spreading speed of the H1N1 flu pandemic in the flu season, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Margaret Chan said a day before in a conference in Havana that the A/H1N1 pandemic would reach its natural end when enough people are immunized.
VietNamNet