After eight of their classmates came down with confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, students at Granite Bay High were taking swine-flu fears in stride this week – but with plenty of precaution mixed in for good measure.

“I have like, 12 of those little hand wipes in my backpack,” said Kevin Ranger, a junior.

All of the affected Granite Bay students had mild cases and were expected to make a full recovery, said Steve Williams, the district’s pupil personnel director. One other confirmed case was reported this week at Antelope High School, he said.

“Some of these kids have already begun to make their way back, but we’re keeping more or less a running tally,” Williams said.

It wasn’t clear whether the outbreak of the novel flu form was ramping up or on its way out. Officials say they think the first cases originated at a band camp before school started on Monday. It’s since spread to students who weren’t among the 130 at the event.

About 39 other students at Granite Bay were at home with flu-like symptoms on Thursday, including a fever, cough and sore throat, officials said, but they cautioned those were not confirmed cases of H1N1. The school was communicating with families through phone calls, letters and its Web site, at www.granitebayhigh.org.

Parents are asked to keep their children at home if they’re exhibiting flu symptoms until 24 hours after a fever has passed without the use of fever reducers, said Principal Mike McGuire.

No cases had been reported in the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, the only other local district in session, Superintendent Mark Geyer said.

“Teachers are going through hygiene and hand washing with our students,” he said. “And we’re monitoring attendance really closely.”

Granite Bay High nurse Linda Warfield said she’s stressing a few important tips to help prevent infections from taking off.

“Hygiene is the key,” she said.

Chief among them:

* No sharing. Ixnay on sharing of food or lip gloss – a behavior that’s rampant among teens but can virtually guarantee transmission of viruses.

“Sharing is a big problem with kids and they don’t realize they’re sharing,” Warfield said.

* Handwashing. It might seem simple, but many people don’t wash correctly, Warfield said. Take off rings, which can shelter germs. Suds in between fingers up to the wrist and, most of all, take your time: “You don’t want to do a 2-second scrub,” she said. Instead, try a minimum of 30 seconds.

* Learn to cough. Coughing into your hands turns them into germ-distributors. Do it into the inside of an elbow or a tissue, Warfield said. And don’t forget to throw out the Kleenex when you’re done.

It’s not surprising that the number of H1N1 cases would increase with the start of school, experts said.

“The CDC and the California Department of Public Health have said once kids go back to school, there’s an increased risk of any flu,” said Bebe Pedicini, nursing manager at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital. “H1N1 could burst up when kids get all back together in class.”

As of August 12, there have been 1057 hospitalizations and 104 deaths from the H1N1 virus. The virus has killed one Placer County woman, a 50-year-old Rocklin resident.

“We see flu every year. It’s not unusual to see flu. But the concern with H1N1 is it is a new virus and a new virus is unpredictable,” she said.

At Granite Bay on Thursday, the mood was observant.

“We’re not freaking out and wearing masks or anything,” said junior Jackie Reynolds, who agreed that she was more aware of preventive strategies now.

Friend Kayla Karlsson, a sophomore, said she was packing plenty of hand sanitizer. And she said the outbreak put the kibash on one of her activities.

“Before I would let people share my food,” she said. “But my mom told me not to do that anymore. It’s kind of sad.”