Alsea School District shut due to illness.

Byline: The Register-Guard

The Alsea School District has closed because of an outbreak of flulike illness among students, staff members and their families.

The rural district closed Wednesday and won't re-open until Monday, Benton County public health officials said.

Students began having symptoms Jan. 11, and most students became ill last weekend, health officials said.

School administrators decided to shut down when about 50 percent of the student body stayed home sick Wednesday morning, said Charlie Fautin, deputy administrator of Benton County Public Health. A large number of staff members also were out, he said.

Health officials are conducting tests to determine if flu is the culprit, Fautin said. The symptoms - a sudden onset of fever, headache, sore throat and muscle aches, lasting three to six days - "are pretty consistent with classic flu," Fautin said.

Benton County previously had confirmed cases of the flu. Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, also has been confirmed in Benton County, but is distinguishable from the flu.

The Alsea district, located in the Coast Range about 25 miles west of Corvallis, has 160 students, 20 teachers and counselors and 13 classified staff members.