Flu cases go up, except on campus

Home News Flu cases go up, except on campus
Flu cases go up, except on campus
Weekly Influenza Activity Estimates. | Michigan Dept. of Health

Although flu cases on campus have slowed down, the virus is still going strong in Hillsdale. Will Carleton Academy was closed for four days last week, and the Hillsdale Hospital numbers have remained stagnant.

“We know we had 29 cases confirmed,” Director of Will Carleton Academy Colleen Vogt said.  

Twelve students were sent home on Monday, Vogt said, in addition to the school missing 46 students and seven teachers. Administration then closed the school for Tuesday and Wednesday. On finding out that 38 student and six students would still be absent on Thursday, administration decided to stay closed the rest of the week.

“What complicated things was the lack of substitute teachers,” Vogt said.

The last time the school has been closed due to illness was around five years ago, Vogt said.

“I think people weren’t heeding the doctor’s directions and staying home five days,” Vogt said. “I was not surprised when were in the position we were in last week.”

Director of Risk Management for Hillsdale Hospital Doris Whorley said the hospital is still seeing cases of the flu, although fewer that have to be admitted.

“It’s maybe a little better,” Whorley said.

Michigan is still marked as having a “widespread” outbreak of the flu by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Campus flu numbers are looking better, though, according to Staff Assistant at the Ambler Health and Wellness Center Linda Snoes.

Snoes said there were only two cases of the flu last week, and zero as of Monday.

“We’re hoping we’re done,” Snoes said. “So far, so good.”