BERNE – As cases of the flu increase in the state and across the nation, Berne-Knox-Westerlo is seeking to stop the spread of the illness before it starts.

Alicia Lounsbury, the nurse at BKW’s secondary school, said that there have been about half-a-dozen confirmed cases of the flu over the last two weeks. She also said that there had been 27 absences in the past week and 15 the week before that.

Dr. Kristin Mack, of Capital Care Family Medicine in Berne, said that she has seen an increase in cases of the flu at her practice, though she has no concrete numbers to report.

Mack said that she has been in contact with BKW and worked with Lounsbury, who said that she had spoken with Mack about two weeks ago.

“On my end, it’s pretty easy,” said Mack, in comparison to managing the infection at the schools. At her practice, she tries to keep the flu from spreading among people in the same household, she said.

Lounsbury said that the school has been educating students about washing their hands, providing hand sanitizer, and disinfecting door knobs. She said the school has also provided “flu kits” as needed. The kits, which were provided by the Albany County Health Department, include thermometers, hand sanitizer, tissues, and information about the flu.

“They do a great campaign on their own of coughing into their elbow, not just in flu season,” said Mack of BKW.

In January, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order allowing pharmacists to vaccinate children as young as 2 years old in order to combat increasing cases of the flu.

New York State reported that, as of Jan. 27, there have been 36,814 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu. Additionally, 9,377 people have been hospitalized with the flu and one child has died from the flu in the state this season. Last year, there were 12,912 flu-related hospitalizations and eight pediatric deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that, nationwide, flu activity is approaching the rate at which it peaked in the 2009 pandemic.

“If you are sick, seek help,” said Mack.

“We vaccinate against the flu because it’s a deadly virus,” she said, adding that it can be most fatal to the young, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system.