Published: June 19, 2009 10:56 pm      

NIAGARA COUNTY: More cases of swine flu confirmed

Five students diagnosed; tests awaited on a sixth

The Niagara County Health Department has confirmed five more cases of swine flu, all involving school-aged children.

A sixth possible case involving a pre-schooler is also being investigated.

A day after officials in the Niagara Falls School district confirmed that two students at Gaskill Preparatory School had been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, county health officials said Friday that they are awaiting laboratory reports on a third possible case involving a 3-year-old child. According to the health department, all three Falls students are not in school at this time and are still recovering from the illness.

In addition, county health officials confirmed previous positive test results for three students in the Barker School District. According to the health department, all three Barker students have fully recovered from the illness and have returned to school.

Despite the sudden increase in cases, the health department said schools have not reported any significant spikes in absenteeism.

Although not required to do so by the county health department, the Falls school district notified parents of students at Gaskill by automatic messaging system Thursday evening that two students had tested positive for the virus. Those students are being held out of school for at least seven days as required by the health department.

The federal Centers for Disease Control defines the H1N1 infectious period as one day before the onset of flu-like symptoms until seven days after. The health department is recommending that parents keep their children home and away from others for at least seven days after the onset of “influenza-like illness.”

Interim Niagara Falls School District Superintendent Cynthia Bianco said the district is following the advice of the health department, which has said that it is not necessary at this time to close Gaskill. She said cleaning staff at the school have been directed to take extra precautions and be as thorough as possible as they work in classrooms and other areas of the school building. As per the advice of the health department, Bianco said the district is recommending that parents keep their children out of school if they are sick. She also said the district is continuing to instruct staff and students to follow good hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing.

“There’s no need, according to the health department, to close any schools,” Bianco said. “We’re doing our measures of cleanliness. We are asking our staff to use extra care at this point.”

Disease control nurses from the health department will continue to conduct daily active surveillance for influenza-like illness with all hospitals and schools in the county. County health officers are also in contact with response agencies, universities, businesses, adult care facilities and daycare centers.

The CDC reports the largest number of H1N1 cases in people ages 5 to 24. No children and few adults under age 60 have demonstrated any immunity to the virus. Production of a new H1N1 vaccine is slated to being in July and may be available as early as October.

Contact reporter Mark Scheer at 282-2311, ext. 2250.