NATCHEZ — On the heels renewed concerns over the H1N1 influenza virus, the Mississippi Department of Health is partnering with public schools across the state to slow the spread of the disease.

Natchez-Adams School District Superintendent Anthony Morris contacted the district’s parents by way of e-mail and an automated message system late Thursday to make them aware of the precautions they should be taking to keep their children safe.

Additionally, parents and school principals are being contacted in writing by the department of health and given flu prevention tips.

To date only one case of the H1N1 virus, called swine flu, has been recorded in Adams County.

The lone case was in a female adult. No children in the county have tested positive for the virus, Morris said.

“We just want parents, students and teachers to take precautions,” Morris said. “We want to raise an awareness.”

Morris informed parents today that children with flu-like symptoms should be kept home, sick children will not be allowed back into school until they have been fever free for a minimum of 24 hours and children exhibiting flu-like symptoms at school will be kept away from other students until they can be picked up by a parent or guardian.

And while no local children have been shown to have the H1N1 virus, local administrators are seeing an increase in the number of absent students with flu-like symptoms.

Frazier Primary School Assistant Principal Tony Fields said his school has seen a noticeable spike in absent students.

Fields said Tuesday 40 students were out of class with flu-like symptoms, and the number increased to 48 on Wednesday.

“That’s high,” Fields said. “And that doesn’t include the number of students that left school because they were sick.”

West Primary Principal Cindy Idom said since the start of school she has seen more than 50 absences.

“It seems high for so early in the school year,” she said. “Right now we’re just telling parents to keep their children at home if they’re sick and Cloroxing everything.”