1 in 6 students out sick at Union County elementary school

MONROE, NC — The final bell had rung at Sardis Elementary School Tuesday, the car pool line was gearing up, and Edilaine Olivera was worried because her 9-year-old wasn’t feeling well.

"I’m going to take her to the doctor to make sure she’s okay," said Olivera.

She was hardly the only one. 75 students - about one out of six - stayed home Tuesday with flu-like symptoms.

"Parents are calling saying students have fever, coughing, sneezing - all the symptoms we’re seeing across our nation and our county right now," said Tahira Stalberte with Union County Schools.

Stalberte said the principal sent a message to parents Monday night urging them to keep their children home if they weren’t feeling well. And, overnight the school did some cleaning up just to be safe.

"Our maintenance crews came into the schools last evening to sanitize areas, common areas, classrooms, so we make sure we’re not spreading what’s going on here," said Stalberte.

We haven't heard if any of the illnesses have been confirmed to be the flu, but just the possibility was enough to make parents like Jennifer Jones nervous.

"I’ve heard about the flu being bad this year, but mine have been pretty healthy," she said.

Stalberte told us this is the only school in Union County that’s had so many absences, but they are certainly monitoring others as well.

So far, the flu is to blame for 95 deaths in North Carolina.

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Cox Media Group