School shut after five-year-old boy dies
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Your support makes all the difference.A primary school closed today after the death of one of its pupils who may have contracted swine flu.
Tests were being carried out to determine whether or not the five-year-old boy died from the H1N1 virus.
He had been admitted to Milton Keynes Hospital, where he died in the early hours of Sunday.
Emberton School, near Olney, Buckinghamshire, a village school for children between the ages of four and seven, placed a message on its website this morning informing parents of the temporary closure.
Dr Diane Gray, deputy director of public health for Milton Keynes, said: "My sympathies go out to his parents, family and friends. We don't yet know the cause of this boy's death.
"At this stage, there is no need to change normal behaviour - you should continue to go to school, work and any social activities."
Steve Dunning, headteacher of Emberton School, told the BBC the boy's death had come as a great shock.
The school will reopen tomorrow, on the advice of the Health Protection Agency, a spokesman for Milton Keynes Council said. A special assembly will be held in memory of the boy.
Mr Dunning said: "The staff at Emberton School are very saddened to learn of the death of one of their pupils, who was a confident, delightful and happy student, and will be missed greatly.
"At this time we are focusing on supporting the children and parents in our small village community.
"I have spoken directly with the mother and passed on the condolences of all the staff and governors at the school."
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