100 Kids Sick at Mesquite School

MESQUITE, Texas - More than 100 children were absent from Range Elementary School in Mesquite Monday. Officials believe an outbreak of the season flu has hit the school.

According to school administrators, about 50 students stayed home from school on Friday and another 50 stayed home Monday. Administrators also sent about a dozen students home during the day Monday, they said.

The sick children all reported symptoms including fever, coughs, sore throats and sometimes vomiting.

The Dallas County Health Department is monitoring the situation and has sent tests to the lab. Currently officials blame seasonal flu rather than swine flu for the outbreak at the school.

The school was disinfected over the weekend and school administrators have advised parents to keep sick children and their siblings home for at least seven days.

They said they do not plan to close the school until it lets out for the summer on Thursday.