Flu cases on the rise at schools in Louisville, southern Indiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Students in school districts across Kentuckiana are dealing with rising flu cases this week.

Local health departments are working with school districts to slow down the spread of the virus.

Dr. Eric Yazel, Clark County Health Officer, said doctors are seeing a convergence of illnesses like the flu, COVID and norovirus. There's particularly been a rise of flu cases recently at schools in southern Indiana.

"It's really led to a lot of absenteeism at a lot of our schools and work places," Yazel said. "As of Friday, we're seeing 20 to 25%, up to 30% of absenteeism at some of our schools."

Clark County Health Department is working with Greater Clark County Schools to sterilize classrooms over the weekend. In an email to parents and guardians sent Friday, Greater Clark County Schools said the school district is experiencing a high volume of respiratory illnesses.

"This is the time to keep to yourself," Yazel said. "Monitor your contact with others who maybe ill themselves. Again, frequent handwashing, especially if you're going to be touching your face, mouth, anything like that, they're portals of entry for viruses."

In Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools is also dealing with an uptick of flu cases.

JCPS spokesperson Carloyn Callahan said the school district sent communication to families and staff at the hardest hit schools. Callahan said there were more than 100 confirmed cases of the flu this week.

Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness recommends parents keep symptomatic children at home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. In a letter to JCPS parents, Louisville's health department said the contagious period for the flu is from the day before signs and symptoms appear until at least seven days after the onset of the flu.

The flu vaccine can prevent severe illnesses, according to health officials. There's still time to get the flu vaccine this winter.

"I wouldn't right now if they're feeling ill, but if you're feeling healthy and want to protect yourself, it does take four to six weeks to build up immunity from it," Yazel said. "We still see some spikes of flu and COVID in March and April, you wouldn't be protecting yourself for what's going on right now, but you would be building your immune system for a month from now or so."

Vaccinations are available through health care providers.

If a JCPS student doesn't have a health care provider or health insurance, parents can call (502) 485-3387 for assistance in scheduling a flu vaccine appointment through a school-based clinic or at JCPS's clinic at 3001 Crittenden Drive.

Doctors encourage people to frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to prevent the spread of germs. People who are sick with symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, body aches or difficulty breathing should stay home until they're symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication. People should also cover coughs and sneezes.

Health officials also encourage children to keep up a healthy lifestyle to keep their immune system strong.

"The same things that keep kids health day-in, day-out, eat a good diet, plenty of fluids, get plenty of sleep, take care of yourself because that's going to help your immune system do what it needs to do to keep you safe," Yazel said.

Norton Children's Hospital said 1,500 cases of the flu were confirmed this week, with seven children hospitalized due to the virus.

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