Curtis Baptist School in downtown Augusta, Georgia, is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 10–11, after illness and confirmed flu cases led to widespread absences.
In a letter sent to families Monday, the school said more than one-third of its students were absent, along with several faculty and staff members. The school described an increase in illness across its community.
Administrators expect to reopen Thursday, Nov. 12, if staffing and illness conditions allow. The Veterans Day program scheduled for Wednesday is being rescheduled.
Georgia flu figures
Georgia’s overall flu activity was rated low in surveillance figures for the week ending Oct. 31. Those figures describe that reporting period, rather than conditions on the day of the school closure.
For that week, Georgia reported 103 flu-related hospitalizations in metro areas and eight outbreaks. Since early October, the reported totals had reached 304 hospitalizations and 29 outbreaks.
The Georgia Department of Public Health also confirmed two flu-associated deaths for that week, bringing the season total to nine. Officials said totals could change as earlier deaths were reviewed.
Victoria Sterling
News Now Georgia
