New York - New York City authorities considered Monday to close schools to prevent the swine flu from striking children after eight students at a Queens high school were confirmed sick of disease, reports said. The US government has declared a national public health emergency after tests confirmed 40 people in the United States, including the eight students in New York, have mild cases of the flu.

The Saint Francis high school in Fresh Meadows, Queens, where the eight students were found sick, was closed Monday and Tuesday to allow cleaning crews to sanitize the school.

Local news reports said six of the eight ill students apparently contract the flu during spring break in Mexico. They said about 150 students at the same school reported flu-like symptoms and were submitted to tests, prompting talks of a mass school closings to thwart the flu from spreading.(dpa)