Elevated flu activity concerns Wake County schools, parents

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WTVD) -- One Wake County school is seeing higher-than-normal student absences as the flu circulates in classrooms.

The District said cases are higher at Holly Grove Elementary. Influenza at this campus has been on the district's radar since last Friday, and officials have notified Wake County Health and Human Services.

Cases at other area schools are up, but numbers are about what's expected for flu season.

The district urges parents not to give sick children fever-reducing medication and then send them off to school.

WCPSS officials said students should remain home if they have a fever that is 100 degrees or higher, nausea or vomiting.

"In one of her math classes, there was nine kids out," said Apex mom Gina Anderson after picking up her sick 11-year-old daughter from school.

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The two stopped by Target to grab medication and water to help keep fluids up.

Each is fighting their own illness.

"I don't know how her and I both got it right around the same time. My husband and son don't have it yet," Anderson said. "Crossing my fingers."

Another mom said her son got the flu shot and still ended up testing positive for influenza.

"His classmate had it. He was showing some symptoms of being sick. I thought it was just a cold, really did not expect it to come back," said Apex parent Stacy Kivett.

Parent Lakeisha Fusi said her children have been OK so far. She did take precautions early in the season to ward off or minimize the effects.

"We always make sure they're vaccinated because people are dying from the flu, so it's really not worth it to not to," Fusi said.

Medical professionals continue to encourage folks to get a flu shot. So far, 29 people have died in North Carolina in this flu season.