Virus causes two more districts to cancel classes

Scott City and Advance joined the ranks of Southeast Missouri school districts canceling classes while students recover from a stomach virus.

Students and teachers in those districts weren't planning to have class Thursday or today in an effort to halt the spread.

Michael Redman, superintendent of Advance schools, said janitorial employees will use the time to disinfect classrooms and common areas. They've been using antibacterial sprays all week, but about a quarter of the district's 489 students called in sick or became ill Thursday.

They're complaining of the same illness that caused Chaffee and Kelso school districts to cancel classes Wednesday and Thursday: vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing and coughing. However, Scott County Health Department officials say, while the symptoms are flu-like, it's not actual influenza.

Fred Graham, Scott City High School principal, said about a quarter of his district's 1,000 students were out.

"With the bad weather coming in like it's supposed to, we thought, why not take some measures, give them four days away from each other and see what happens," he said.

Districts canceling classes over the sickness are planning to make them up over Easter or other observances or by tacking them onto the school year's end.