Remuera Intermediate School asks parents to keep children home as teachers fall sick
Remuera Intermediate School in Auckland has closed for the day after a severe flu outbreak left nearly half of its teaching staff unable to work. New Zealand is currently experiencing its worst flu season in a decade, with rising hospitalizations and severe cases reported nationwide.
Why it matters
The school closure highlights the broader societal impact of the current influenza surge in New Zealand, affecting both educational continuity and public health infrastructure.
Remuera Intermediate has told parents to keep their children home today after illness left the Auckland school without enough teachers. Photo / Google Streetview
An Auckland school has told parents to keep their children home today because half its teachers are sick with suspected flu.
Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton said the 872-student school was nine teachers down at the start of the week and “scraped through yesterday” when 13 of its 37 teaching staff were away sick.
But when the number of those unwell rose to 18 yesterday, it decided to ask parents to supervise their children at home today.
Brewerton, who has been teaching for 33 years, had “never seen this” level of illness in a school’s teaching staff.
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