The death of a Scotland County student on Wednesday was not flu related, a health official said.

Scotland County Health Director Ron Sapp said state public health officials confirmed to him that the 11-year-old girl, who attended Spring Hill Middle School, did not die from influenza or the flu vaccine, which had recently been administered to some students.

Sapp did not disclose the cause of death.

School officials have not released the student's name.

Sapp said concerns have been raised about the child's death since it followed an effort by the county Health Department to administer the flu vaccine to fourth through eighth grade students across Scotland County. Only those students who had a parental permission slip received the vaccine.

Part of the concern, he says, was from people believing the vaccine was actually for the H1N1 virus.

To date, the Scotland County Health Department has not administered or distributed vaccines for H1N1.

He said the seasonal flu vaccines are safe and were recommended to school-aged children by the Center for Disease Control and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

The school system also received calls from several concerned parents, according to school spokesman Andy Cagle.

"It is tragic," Cagle said. "We are saddened any time we lose a member of the Scotland County Schools family."

Three grief counselors from Hospice of Scotland County, a social worker and an extra school counselor were at the middle school.