About 1,000 students at Virginia high school out sick with flu-like symptoms, district says

About 1,000 students at Stafford High School in Fredericksburg, Virginia, were absent from class last week with flu-like and gastrointestinal symptoms, the school district said.

"There are approximately 1,000 students absent with flu-like/gastrointestinal symptoms at Stafford High School," Stafford County Public Schools communications chief Sandra Osborn said Friday, CNN reported. "Our Health Services team is working with the local health department to identify the root cause of the illness."

Stafford High School, which has about 2,100 students enrolled, postponed all school activities and athletics scheduled through Sunday, officials announced on Facebook. The school said it will "reassess conditions on Monday."

While officials are attempting to understand the disease at Stafford High School, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday: "Early increases in seasonal influenza activity have been reported in most of the United States, with the southeast and south-central areas of the country reporting the highest levels of activity."