ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY - Alexandria Bay School District has closed today and Monday due to two confirmed cases of H1N1 flu.

The announcement came on the same day as the World Health Organization upgraded the H1N1 to pandemic status.  School officials have cancelled final exams for grades 7-12 and the 8th-grade graduation as well.

On their website, the district is stating the decision was a result of a combination of the possibility of H1N1 spread and due to a high rate of illness in general.

Elementary students are scheduled to resume regular classes on Tuesday but all others are essentially finished for the year with the exception of State Regents exams.

Health officials indicate that diagnosed H1N1 cases in Jefferson County have risen to at least 9 and to 3 in St. Lawrence County.  

The designation of the H1N1 virus by the World Health Organization to pandemic status indicates that the officials feel the spread of H1N1 is unstoppable and is intended to push government attention and funding into increasing the speed at which a vaccine will be available.

The CDC is currently developing and testing a vaccine for H1N1 and, if appropriate, hope to have it available by Fall when seasonal influenza (and quite possibly the H1N1 strain) will spike.