CHICAGO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) in the western suburbs of U.S. Chicago is closing for one week due to an outbreak of flu, local media reported Tuesday.

Of the 637 students at the school, 106 were absent Monday. IMSA's health office confirmed that of those absent, 88 were suffering from flu-like symptoms.

Students are now asked to stay at home, and to not come back until Sunday, Jan. 28.

A bulletin posted on the school's website said, "during the closure, the buildings will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The purpose of the closing is to decrease contact among students in order to lessen their risk and to limit the spread of infection."

Besides the at least 88 students who are sick, as many as 20 percent of the faculty and staff at the school are also sick with flu, local media reported.

In a related development, Californian health authorities said last Friday that flu fatalities among Californians under 65 this year had risen to a record 74, which highlighted a serious epidemic that U.S. scientists say could easily be spread by simply breathing.

This year, a strong flu strain called H3N2 is dominant and already spreading to all U.S. states except Hawaii, University of California Berkeley said in a statement last week.

Researchers said it may not be enough for the public to just wash hands or cover up their mouths when coughing or sneezing.

Experts recommended the public to stay at least six feet (about 1.8 meters) away from anyone with influenza. Enditem