Swine flu retains its grippe on Boston schools: Three more closed

The Boston Public Health Commission announced today it's shutting the Russell Elementary School in Dorchester, the Sumner in Roslindale and the Tobin in Roxbury due to high absenteeism that could be linked to swine flu.

All three schools will be shut effective tomorrow through Thursday, June 18.

That makes 17 public and private schools in Boston shut for a week due to H1N1. The Russell is on the same block as a Catholic school that was ordered shut yesterday, according to the Dorchester Reporter.

At the Russell, 81 of 370 students were out sick today; at the Sumner, 159 out of 501 and at the Tobin, 113 out of 428. All three schools also reported heavy absence rates among employees and "a significant number" of students who left school during the day with flu-like symptoms.