Flu cases close Randolph County school district

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Randolph County school district is closed this week because too many students are sick.

Northeast Randolph County R-IV Superintendent Dave Samuel said Wednesday that the district is closed because a large percentage of students are out sick. Many of them have the flu, he said.

Classes will begin again Monday. Activities have also been postponed, according to the school's Facebook page.

Northeast has 338 K-12 students, according to figures from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Health care professionals say they're seeing a spike in respiratory illnesses this year, driven in large part by the flu, RSV and COVID-19. Flu activity is widespread and very high in Missouri, according to the Department for Health and Senior Services.

Four people have died from the flu statewide, according to the department's latest report, which covers the last full week of November. Overall flu cases and hospitalizations are far higher than last year, according to state figures.