Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, October 7, 2009
UPDATE: IU Also Seeing Attendance Drop
(BEDFORD, IN) - Several schools are reporting a dramatic drop in attendance rates due to flu-like illnesses including Bedford Middle School, Oolitic Middle School and Indiana University.
According to Bedford Middle School Principal David Schlegel, 125 of the school's 640 student's were absent from classes on Monday.
Schlegel says that the drop in attendance rates came as a surprise to the school.
H1N1 has not been confirmed as the main cause of the drop in attendance at Bedford Middle School, however Schlegel says that it can be attributed to the regular seasonal flu.
According to Leeann Hauersperger, the parent of a BMS sixth grader, her child has been diagnosed with H1N1 and will remain out of school for the rest of the week.
Debbie Hall, a Pediatrician with Southern Indiana Pediactrics tells WBIW News that her doctor's office has seen a significant rise of H1N1 cases throughout the area.
The same occurrence of missing students reportedly happened last week at Oolitic Middle School.
Mitchell High-school has not seen anything abnormal in their attendance rates.
Flu-like illnesses are also significantly higher on the IU Bloomington campus during September with 237 cases compared to just two during the same month a year ago, according to the Indiana University Health Center.
To read North Lawrence Community School's letter parents concerning H1N1, Click Here.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.