The swine flu that came out of nowhere about a week ago has not only made its presence known in faraway places. Hundreds of American schools have closed, events have been canceled and some local residents have taken to wearing face masks to protect themselves.

As of Friday afternoon, 12 California schools, including one in nearby Visalia, had closed as a precaution after some students exhibited flu-like symptoms. None were in Kings County, but three area preschools did close on Thursday and Friday after children showed signs of illness.

Officials from the three sites, which are in Hanford, Avenal and Corcoran, confirmed Friday that none of the children are expected to get or have been confirmed to have the virus.

Also as of Friday afternoon, 149 cases and one death had been confirmed in the U.S., according to the Associated Press. Seventeen of those are in California.

Among California schools to close, just one is in the Central Valley. The shut-down of Mountain View Elementary School in Visalia was ordered Wednesday after some children became ill with flu-like symptoms.

John Stankovich, superintendent of Kings County Schools, confirmed Friday that no county schools had closed this week. However, he cautioned students and parents to take the usual precautions to remain healthy.

"If you have any symptoms associated with the flu, go to the doctor right away," Stankovich said. "We would also encourage washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough."

A couple of students at Lemoore High School on Thursday took more visible precautions, donning face masks as they attended the school's Every 15 Minutes event aimed at preventing teenage drunken driving. Among those seen wearing masks were seniors Kelly Richardson and Terry Roberts.

"I don't want to die at age 17," said Richardson, mentioning that other students also wore the masks this week. "There is swine flu all around us."

Bill Fishbough, Hanford Joint Union High School District superintendent, echoed Stankovich's comments in a statement on the district Web site, at http://www.hjuhsd.k12.ca.us/superintendent.htm. Fishbough requested that sick students not attend school.

Sick children did attend some local preschools this week, and although their illnesses were not linked to swine flu, the sites are closed as a precaution until Monday.

Among the preschools to close were the West Hills Community College District's Avenal State preschool, which closed early Thursday morning as a precaution after flu-like symptoms developed in one of the center's students.

"An older sibling of one of the children has been diagnosed with flu-like symptoms and the mother called this morning to notify us that the younger child is now ill," said Kathy Watts, director of child development centers for West Hills.

The center, which serves 88 3 and 4-year olds, was closed on Thursday and Friday and is expected to reopen Monday, Watts said. She said Friday the closure will give staff time to clean the site.

"When we have other people's children in our care, we just want to be overly cautious," Watts said.

Kings Community Action Organization temporarily closed two of its preschool sites after children displayed flu-like symptoms. The Preston Green Learning Center closed Thursday afternoon on the recommendation of the Kings County Public Health Department, and the Corcoran HeadStart preschool Center closed Friday. Swine is not confirmed or expected at either of the sites or in any of the children, and the sites are planned to reopen Monday.

The Public Health Department attributed the children's symptoms to Norovirus -- a more common and very contagious, but less serious, illness.

Dr. Michael Mac Lean, Kings County's health officer, said Friday that confirmed cases of swine flu are "not rising like you would expect if it was a pandemic." Mac Lean explained that its growth has been linear, and not explosive, at least so far.

"We are working on very little data," Mac Lean said. But working off that data, "I am less concerned that this is going to become a pandemic virus."

Swine flu is spread via person-to-person contact. Typical symptoms are similar to those of regular seasonal flu, including high fever, chill, cough, body aches and lethargy.

Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, said Friday that if there is a confirmed case or strongly suspected case of swine flu, a public health officer at each school should dismiss students for 14 days from the last known case.

(May 2, 2009)