West Virginia County School System Closes After Influenza Epidemic

NEW CUMBERLAND, West Virginia (AP) – All schools in a West Virginia county are closed due to an influenza outbreak.

A spokesman for the state's education department sent a voice message from the superintendent of Hanbad County School confirming the Friday closure.

In the voicemail box, the principal, Timothy Woodward, indicates that all schools in the county will be closed due to the large number of staff and faculty who have the flu. He says that they do not have enough substitute teachers to fill the schools.

Woodward says that only one elementary school has more than 18 teachers with the flu. He also said that a large number of central office employees had the flu.