Flu forces Westville School District to close its doors; will re-open Tuesday

WESTVILLE, Okla. - An Adair County school district is shutting down classes for the rest of the week after an outbreak of flu in the area.

Westville Public Schools sent home a letter to parents Wednesday announcing the closure.

Students are also out Monday for a "professional development" day.

In the letter, the district said it made the decision after a number of illness-related absences.

Westville's website has also alerted parents.

The school, which hosts students from pre-K to 12th grade, is slated to be disinfected over weekend.

Westville isn't the only district to have closed down for flu in recent weeks.

Keifer Public Schools in Creek County shut its doors last Friday when more than 100 children couldn't make it to school.

READ: 'Flu outbreak closes Kiefer' (http://bit.ly/Kieferflu)

The flu's impact has been felt across Oklahoma this winter, with eight people already dying from the virus. Nearly 350 people have been hospitalized for influenza in the state since Sept. 30, according to ok.gov data.

Vaccines have also become harder to come by. Last week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said 128 of 135 million total flu vaccines have already been distributed.

To find available vaccines in the area, check out our Flu HQ at www.kjrh.com/flu.