MARLINTON -
Pocahontas County has closed down all of its schools for two days because so many students and faculty members were going home sick this week.
Devon Biggs is just one of the hundreds of Pocahontas County students that has not been in school this whole week.
He said, "I had a horrible cough and ear aches in both ears and I just didn't feel good."
The schools superintendent began to realize there was a problem when dozens of faculty members called in sick and the classrooms seemed empty.
Pocahontas County Superintendent Cyrus Lester said, "I contacted the county health official and he recommended with the numbers being about 15 to 20 percent, he thought it was viral but he recommended that I shut the school down for the next couple of days and hopefully it will take care of itself."
That gives students and teachers two school days plus a weekend to get better, but most people think that's not enough.
Devon's grandmother Delores McLaughlin said, "I think they probably should stay closed until after Christmas break because some of them will go back to school and other ones might be better and other ones go back sick, and they'll all be out again."
Debra Church said, "I think at least a week, maybe even longer than that."
Health department officials said they don't want people to be scared, this isn't actually a flu outbreak, there have only been a few reported cases of the influenza virus.
They are calling the bug a flu-like sickness, it shares some of the symptoms but it's not actually the influenza virus.
However, states like Virginia just a few miles away are seeing a huge surge in flu cases.
For some people in Pocahontas County, this week has been a wake-up call for the start of this year's flu season.
As of right now, the Superintendent Lester plans to have the schools back open on Monday.
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