DeKalb Schools student dies from flu virus

A DeKalb County School District student died from the flu on Sunday, school officials said Monday.

The 15-year-old was a student at Cross Keys High School. A note from Principal Jason Heard informed staff of the teen’s passing Monday morning after classes started. His death is apparently the first in the district related to the flu. DeKalb County School District officials said in an interview last week that no student deaths had been reported to that point.

Related: Teen’s death shows flu’s spread not over.

Heard said this morning that counselors were beginning classroom visits and that students who needed immediate attention could receive it at the school’s media center.

The school declined to share more information about the student, saying it wanted to give space to the staff and other students to work through their feelings.

More than 60 Georgians have died from the flu this season, and school districts are taking extra precautions as the number of people stricken with the illness continues to grow.

Flu deaths in Georgia are high and the crest of the flu season may not have hit yet.

Here are seven ways to prevent spreading the flu on ajc.com.

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The AJC's Marlon A. Walker keeps you updated on the latest happenings in metro Atlanta K-12 news and DeKalb County Schools. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

 
• DeKalb Schools seeks legislative assist in annexation conflicts
• Clayton superintendent lauds schools' successes, community's role
• New DeKalb school near hazardous materials worries fire marshal

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