The YWCA South Childcare Center will close temporarily as a precautionary measure because a child who might have been exposed to the H1N1 flu attends the day care.

The center, at 3510 W. Ralph Rogers Road, where about 260 children receive care, could be closed for as long as two weeks, according to Laurie Knutson, YWCA chief executive officer. A person who has a probable case of H1N1 flu had taken their child to the center, she said Saturday.

News of the day care's closing is the latest development as city and state health officials work to manage the H1N1 flu virus that is popping up worldwide.

There were 779 confirmed cases were reported as of Saturday. Mexico had the most, 443, followed by the United States with 197.

In South Dakota, two probable cases have been identified. The first case is a person 30 to 39 years old in Marshall County . The second is a person in Minnehaha County in the same age bracket. The state is awaiting test rests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on both cases.

Parents notified Saturday by YWCA

The YWCA day care began notifying parents affected by the closure Saturday morning by phone. The center will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Knutson said. Unless tests for the virus come back negative from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it will be closed for 14 days. Knutson said the YWCA is taking the same precautions in sanitizing the center as it normally would during flu season, and she expected to hear results by Tuesday.

The case does not affect the YWCA child care center downtown, which will remain open. While each center has its own staff, it's rare for teachers to help the other center if needed, Knutson said.

"We are working closely with the South Dakota Department of Health," Knutson said. "We will continue doing what we do every day - putting the safety and well - being of our children first.

Parents are being warned to watch for flu-like symptoms and seek medical care if necessary, state Health Secretary Doneen Hollingsworth said.

"The child (of the parent) was not tested for flu but was symptomatic, so we are following CDC guidance and proceeding with an abundance of caution to prevent the potential for disease," she said.

Judy Buseman, city health director, said the center's closing is not unexpected and no cause for alarms exists. She added social distancing is the key to preventing the virus' spread.

The closure will affect many parents who work full time, which could lead to a struggle in finding someone to care for their kids during the day. The Health Department said that children who might have been exposed to the flu at the YWCA center should not go to a different day care facility during the closure because of the risk of passing it along.

Stay home if sick, get backup for child care

Carol Muller, executive director of HelpLine Center in Sioux Falls, which provides area day care referrals, anticipates calls this week from parents who will be looking for temporary child care places.

"We always encourage parents to have backup plans, but it is important that if the kid needs to stay home, they stay home." Muller said. "We hope employers are able to look at some flexibility options," she said.

The best option is to have a parent stay home with the child, said Pam Stefanich, who runs a Sioux Falls in-home day care.

"If a child is showing symptoms, I would highly suggest that parents stay home with children...the whole idea is to stay isolated," she said.

Muller said those who call the HelpLine with concerns will be given recommendations and prevention tips provided by the CDC and the state Department of Health, which include washing hands often with soap and using anti-bacterial hand gel.

"People are probably sick of hearing it, but that is the most important information that we can share with people," Hollingsworth said. "Those are the magic bullets."

Kerstin Schempp, a full-time teacher with Sioux Falls School District, and her husband, who owns his own business, have a 31/4-year-old son who attends the center. Because of their full-time jobs, they don't have an immediate backup plan for day care.

"It will really put me out," she said, adding they will have to look at other options such as neighbors or relatives.

Schempp said YWCA South officials do a good job of sanitizing and teaching children to cover their mouths, and that it was smart on the center's part to close.

"They need to thoroughly sanitize everything more than (usual)," she said.

Schempp said the couple will keep their son away from children who show symptoms and make sure he washes his hands more thoroughly.

Rich White of Sioux Falls has a 5-year-old boy who will attend the YWCA center after school dismisses. He said he is not concerned with the center's closing, noting it has a good reputation.

"We have all the confidence in the world," he said, referring he and his wife.

Superintendent Pam Homan said if teachers or their children are sick, they should stay home, citing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Full text available at Sioux Falls Argus Leader.