A west suburban school announced plans to close this week due to "the spread of the flu," becoming one of numerous Chicago-area schools, and the second in Aurora, to close for infection.
Holy Angels Catholic School saw 26 percent of its student population out Tuesday with "more sick children going home as the day has progressed," the school's principal wrote on Facebook.
The school will be closed for the rest of the week in an effort to "minimize the exposure" and "give those who are sick time to fully recover," the post read. Sports, band, choir and scheduled field trips will also be canceled for the week.
Cleaning crews will disinfect the building while it is empty, officials said.
"I sincerely regret the inconvenience this causes to our working families, but we must do what we can to fight this very serious flu strain," Principal Tonya Forbes wrote.
Holy Angels is the second Aurora school to close in the last month due to a flu outbreak.
In January, Illinois Math and Science Academy also closed for "high levels of influenza cases."
Local
Komarek School in North Riverside also closed last month due to a "flu outbreak."
The CDC reports influenza activity is widespread across nearly every U.S. state, with 53 pediatric deaths reported this season so far.
Health officals say flu activity will likely conitnue elevated for several weeks.
