Despite rumors to the contrary, there have been no reported or confirmed cases of the swine flu in any Fort Bend ISD schools.
In a statement issued today, FBISD Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson said the district is carefully monitoring all developments related to the illness.
“Fort Bend ISD is working closely with the Fort Bend County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control regarding any recommendations they provide related to the swine flu,” Simpson noted. “The district has not received any information that any of our students are suspected of having the swine flu. However, we will send out immediate notification via our phone call out system and district website should conditions change.”
She said parents and staff should check the school district website for current information and links that provide information related to the swine flu.
Late last night, Houston ISD announced the closure of two schools until further notice after a case of suspected, but yet unconfirmed, swine flu was reported at each campus.
Harvard Elementary and Hamilton Middle Schools have both been closed as a precaution. Both schools are located in the Heights area of Houston.
School officials did not say whether the suspected swine flu cases were found in students or staff members.
Yesterday, a teenage girl from Fort Bend County was confirmed as having the Houston area’s first case of swine flu.
Officials from the Fort Bend County Health Department made the announcement Wednesday evening after receiving confirmation of the case from the CDC.
The 17-year-old girl, whose name was not released, is a student at Bellaire’s Episcopal High School. The school announced that it will close at least through the weekend.
Health officials said there are 30 other suspected cases in Fort Bend County; however, they are still awaiting the results of tests to confirm if any are, in fact, swine flu.
So far, a total of 16 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Texas. Counties affected include Cameron, Dallas, Fort Bend, Guadalupe and Starr.
The total includes a Mexico City toddler who died Monday in Houston after falling ill while visiting relatives in Brownsville and being transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital.
That case was the first confirmed swine flu death in the United States since the outbreak began.
