May 5, 2009 6:14 am US/Eastern
NY State Confirmed Swine Flu Cases Rise To 90
St. Francis Prep, At Center Of NYC Outbreak, Reopens Its Doors, But Westchester Prep School To Close
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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DNA test kits of the the influenza A(H1N1) or Swine Flu virus prepared by PrimerDesign Ltd are displayed at the company laboratory in Southampton on May 2, 2009.
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The number of confirmed swine flu cases in New York state has risen to 90, with 73 cases in New York City.
Gov. David Paterson announced the new numbers Monday as 17 suspected cases of the virus were confirmed. Health officials believe there are likely many more cases of the flu in people who have not been tested. All of New York's cases have been mild.
Late Monday it was learned a private school in Westchester County, just north of New York City, was to close for two weeks. County health officials made the recommendation on Monday after two students at the Rye Country Day School tested likely for swine flu.
The latest tally comes as students returned to St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens for the first time in a week. Swine flu sickened as many as 1,000 people associated with the school, city health officials say. The school had 45 confirmed cases and had become the epicenter of cases in the city.
On Monday, students streamed through the doors happy to return to school after the unintended week-long vacation. Department of Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden and State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith joined Mayor Bloomberg as they welcomed students back.
"The good news is that it is no more serious than a seasonal flu," said Freiden at the Monday morning news conference held inside the school's grounds.
Of the 79 cases in New York City, the mayor said, three have no link to Mexico or St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens.
Bloomberg thanked the students for their patience. School principal Brother Leonard Conway said the children "have a lot of work to do" and were "excited about doing it."
Conway also hopes parents have learned a lesson about sending .
"We sent letters home telling parents not to send their children. It's insanity to let any child go on unsupervised trips to Mexico, the Caribbean or anywhere for that matter," he said.
Of St. Francis' 2,700 students, 204 were out sick Monday, said Conway.
"Of the 204, the vast majority of calls were from parents who said, 'Just to be on the safe side I'm keeping them out for another day or two,"' Conway added.
Some said they didn't have the flu; a few said they were getting over something flu-like, he said said. No teachers were out on Monday with swine flu.
Conway said students who returned to school Monday "have a lot of work to do" and were "excited about doing it." The students have Advanced Placement and regents exams coming up. To make up the lost classroom time, final exams will start June 16 -- later than the scheduled June 11, 12 and 15 -- and the same time the regents exam will take place.
Also reopening on Monday after swine flu scares are three schools in Brooklyn; St. Brigid's in Bushwick, Good Shepherd in Marine Park and Bishop Kearney in Bensonhurst. PS 177 in Flushing, where there were 5 confirmed cases, remains closed until Wednesday.
CBS 2's Magee Hickey contributed to this report.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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