HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Family members tell WSAZ.com that the Cabell Midland High School student who died from Swine Flu is 14-year-old Patrick Wheeler.

The Cabell-Huntington Health Department says it is working closely with the Cabell County School System in regard to school closings. At this time, all schools remain open and on a regular schedule.

Counselors will be at Cabell Midland Monday to assist students and staff members coping with this sudden loss.

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ORIGINAL STORY
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A student a Cabell Midland High School has died of a possible case of swine flu.

That word Sunday morning from Jed Flowers, a spokesperson for Cabell County Schools.

Flowers tells WSAZ.com that the student was not in school on Thursday or Friday. He says counselors will be be available for students and faculty.

Saturday night, Dr. Harry Tweel, director of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, told WSAZ.com that a person had died at a Huntington hospital of a possible case of swine flu.

Tweel says that the H1N1 virus had not yet been confirmed in the patient, and that tests were still waiting to be confirmed.

Neither Tweel or Flowers is releasing the name of the student, or any other information on the case.

Flowers also tells WSAZ.com that the school system is working with the health department to see if any procedures relating to the flu need to be reviewed.

He also says members Cabell County School Board have relaxed the system's attendance policy because of the number of illnesses.

The temporary policy is that students can be absent for 5 days with just a note from parents, then a note from a doctor is required.

Students who have been ill cannot return to school until they have gone at least 24 hours with a temperature of less than 100 degrees.

In the past few weeks, two other people have died of swine flu in Cabell County.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com. We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

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