BY CRAIG CROSBY

Staff Writer

Schools throughout central Maine are seeing a sharp increase in student absenteeism -- but educators say only a fraction of those staying home sick have been stricken by swine flu.

"The seasonal flu, strep throat, colds and mono have also been reported as illness," Mary Nadeau, principal of Newport's Nokomis Regional High School, said in a statement on the school's Web site.

Dr. Dora Mills, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control, said Thursday that 25 schools statewide have reported absentee rates of 15 percent or greater in the past week.

Mills revealed Friday that the death of a Penobscot County man was linked to H1N1. The man, who was 18 to 25 years old, had serious underlying medical conditions, Mills said. The death is the first linked to H1N1 since a York County man died in August.

"We anticipated that H1N1 would continue to spread," Mills said. "It has now been confirmed in every county."

Mills said H1N1 is causing widespread school absentee rates, but school officials said Friday that many of the absences cannot be attributed to swine flu.

At Nokomis High School, for example, only six of the 250 student absences on Wednesday were due to a confirmed case of swine flu, Nadeau said. Some of those six have been doctor-confirmed and not tested with a swab or blood test.

"Local doctors' offices have informed us they are not testing and advising those with flu symptoms it probably is H1N1, since it is in the area," Nadeau said.

The flu, combined with other illnesses, has pushed Nokomis' absentee rate to more than 30 percent.

"Keep in mind that a typical school day may run a 6 to 12 percent absentee rate," Nadeau said.

Wayne Elementary School recently had nearly half of its approximately 50 students out sick, said Rich Abramson, superintendent of Readfield-based Regional School Unit 38.

But most of those students were battling a norovirus, which causes acute gastric distress.

"I think that's been more a problem for us," Abramson said. "To my knowledge there are one, possibly three, confirmed cases of H1N1."

Don Siviski, superintendent of Hallowell-based Regional School Unit 2, said absentee rates have fluctuated -- reaching as high as 20 percent, but dropping to the 5 to 10 percent range.

Siviski said schools in his district -- and in the Wiscasset area, where his wife teaches -- are dealing with much more than the swine flu.

"There are confirmed cases (of H1N1), but my take on it from two systems is that a lot of doctors are seeing colds and seasonal flu," Siviski said.

The surge in absentee rates has occurred despite schools' efforts to halt the spread of swine flu and other illnesses. Many schools are using daily disinfectant programs in the buildings and buses.

Educators are reminding students and staff to wash their hands regularly, and have provided antibacterial lotions.

The Readfield-based school district has decided to reactivate its pandemic planning committee, Abramson said. The committee works with emergency and medical communities to develop communication and response plans in the event of an outbreak.

"We're taking as many precautionary steps as we can," Abramson said.

Mills said about 100 schools have held H1N1 vaccine clinics and another 200 will do so over the next couple of weeks as vaccines continue to arrive in the state.

About 500 Hall-Dale Elementary School students were vaccinated Thursday for both the seasonal flu and H1N1, Siviski said.

Students in the Readfield-based school district were vaccinated against H1N1 Friday, Abramson said. More clinics are planned for next week. Students have already been vaccinated against seasonal flu.

Susan Gendron, commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, on Friday urged all superintendents to relax requirements for doctors' notes to excuse absences.

"Several requests have come in from provider offices that are currently inundated with calls and office visits of children presenting with influenza-like symptoms for the purpose of getting a doctor's note," Gendron said. "There is a concern that the need for a doctor's note will place undue pressure on the health care system and also that, because of the demand, students may be delayed in getting notes and thus delayed in returning to school."

Craig Crosby -- 623-3811, ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com