Ohio Catholic school cancels classes over flu worries

EUCLID, Ohio (AP) — Swine-flu worries prompted a Catholic school just northeast of Cleveland to shut its doors until Monday.

St. Felicitas School in Euclid called off classes today and Friday classes after a student’s mother reported that her doctor diagnosed her with swine flu, said Principal Martha Dodd.

Other events also were canceled. A sign on the school’s door this morning said “No bingo tonight” in red letters.

Dodd made the decision Wednesday to close the school of 406 students. The county health board has not confirmed that the mother has swine flu but is looking into the matter, Dodd said.

“The board did not recommend that we shut down,” she said. “I decided to go ahead and close the school for two days to thoroughly disinfect the building, strictly as a precautionary measure.”

Since developing symptoms, the mother hasn’t been to the school, which has 18 classrooms, a gym and a library and sits behind a Catholic church.

Dodd said the woman has not visited Mexico but was in contact with someone who was in the country. She did not identify the woman.

“Our priority is always the health and safety of our children, so if it’s an error on the side of caution that’s better than taking the risk,” she said.

There is one confirmed case of swine flu in Ohio, a 9-year-old boy who is recovering at his home in Elyria southwest of Cleveland. His school called off classes for this week.