Illinois Math and Science Academy — a selective public high school in Aurora — closed its doors Monday evening after 14 percent of its students reported influenza symptoms and 24 percent of its employees were out sick, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune.
The school made the decision to close based on recommendations from officials at Aurora's Rush Copley Medical Center and the Kane County Health Department. The school will remain closed through Jan. 28.
"The health and well-being of our students, especially in light of their ages, is certainly important," Tami Armstrong, the school's director of the office of public affairs, told the Tribune. "We just wanted to prevent it from spreading further."
While the school has experienced other emergency closings in its 30-year history, Ms. Armstrong told the Tribune she believes this is the first such closure for a flu outbreak.
As of Jan. 13, the CDC has reported widespread flu activity in 49 U.S. states.
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