State confirms case of H1N1 virus

BEMUS POINT, N.Y. (WIVB) - Update: May 7, 2009: NYSDOH has reported to Genesee County Health Department that remaining suspect H1N1 case is reported as negative.

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It has been reported to the Genesee County Health Department that 1 of the 2 "suspected H1N1 (Swine Flu) cases is negative for H1N.  One suspect case is still pending.

After days of waiting it's now official; there is a confirmed case of Swine Flu in western New York.

A Bemus Point student has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, but schools will re-open Tuesday.

Chautauqua County health officials say the student and his family were in Mexico in April, and that's when he contracted the H1N1 virus.

They closed the district on Friday as they waited for the Centers for Disease Control test results to come back. They did on Monday afternoon.

Chautauqua County Health Director Christine Schuyler said, "The probable sample that we've been following has been confirmed as positive for Swine Flu."

Bemus Point Schools will re-open Tuesday, despite the test result.

Schuyler says that there is no longer any cause for concern, "He is fully recovered. He's doing well. He's not contagious."

Public health and school officials say they're confident of the decision to open the schools.

Bemus Point Schools Superintendent Albert D'Attilio said, "The incubation period has been completed. No other outbreak has occurred. Therefore, it was appropriate for us to open on Tuesday."

The sample test was taken last Wednesday. Health officials were still waiting for the CDC to release the test results over the weekend and the district decided to close the school on Monday as it still had not heard.

When the test results came back, the district decided it was safe to send students back to class.

Superintendent D'Attilio says the school has been disinfected from top to bottom, "I'm not sure how much of that is necessary or required, because the virus bug only is active for a set period of time."

There are now 90 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in New York State and health officials believe that there will be more.

They continue to urge people to use standard flu season precautions like washing hands regularly.