Parochial schools shut pending swine flu tests

• By MARSHA SILLS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: May 5, 2009 - Page: 6A

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LAFAYETTE — Parochial schools in the Lafayette area with suspected swine flu cases will be closed this week, pending test results on infected students’ influenza samples by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anna Larriviere, diocesan superintendent, said.

A “cluster” of swine influenza cases was confirmed Sunday at Cathedral-Carmel School in Lafayette, where five students tested positive for the highly contagious strain.

Another suspected case at Cathedral-Carmel was added to the list Monday afternoon when Gov. Bobby Jindal announced that five new suspected swine flu cases have been sent to the CDC for testing. Four of those new statewide cases were found in Lafayette parochial schools: one at Cathedral-Carmel, two at Our Lady of Fatima and one at St. Pius.

That brings to 16 the total number of suspected cases in the Lafayette area, according to Jindal. The fifth new case was an adult in Gonzales.

St. Cecilia School in Broussard, St. Pius, Fatima and St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette were also closed Friday after having students either test positive for Type A flu or for being friends and family of the infected Cathedral-Carmel students.

St. Cecilia was scheduled to reopen Monday, but late Sunday officials were notified that more students had tested positive for Type A influenza and also had a connection with the Cathedral-Carmel students.

Jindal said that St. Cecilia voluntarily closed campus Monday. Westminster Christian Academy in Opelousas voluntarily sent home it's seventh graders but the school remains open.

The students’ samples are pending testing by the CDC.

“I’m praying that it’s on its way out, but I just don’t know,” Larriviere said. “I had a parent today who said some child had Type B. I said that’s wonderful.”

Type A is the most common type of influenza. Swine flu is a strain of Type A influenza. Type A influenza is found in both animals and humans. Type B is only found in humans.

St. Thomas More seniors were scheduled to take finals today. The exams have been waived, though students can request to take an exam, if they wish.

“Seniors are exempt from exams,” Larriviere said. “Teachers felt they had enough grades that they felt they could justify closing grades at this point.”

Students will be allowed to return to the campus to take their Advanced Placement exams this week.