Widespread student illness prompts high school in St. Charles, Ill., to close for the rest of the week

From The Chicago Tribune: St. Charles (Ill.) East High School started Monday with 611 of its 2,200 students absent. By the end of school Tuesday that number had grown to 972. With about 45 percent of the student body gone, teachers giving lessons to half-empty classrooms and health officials advising caution as the H1N1 flu virus circulates in the area, school officials have decided to cancel classes for the rest of the week.