Local Elementary School Employee Tests Positive For Coronavirus

BAYPORT-BLUE POINT, NY — An Academy Street Elementary School staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, the Bayport-Blue Point school district announced Thursday. In a letter to the community, Superintendent Timothy P. Hearney stated the staff member of the Bayport school has not been in the building since early last week.

"The Department of Health Services is conducting an investigation and will notify anyone who they feel may have had contact with someone who has been exposed," Hearney wrote. As stated in previous communications, the district began additional deep cleaning of each building weeks before the employee was feeling ill. I ask that you please respect confidentiality laws at this time."

The schools have been closed since Monday. On Sunday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced that all public and private K-12 schools in Suffolk County have been ordered to close for two weeks amid dozens of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. As testing has been increasing across Long Island, more and more positive cases are being reported this week. On Thursday, Suffolk County's number of confirmed coronavirus cases climbed to 239, up from 152 Wednesday, with 3 deaths. There are a total of 39 within the Tow of Islip, but it is not clear how many of those are in the hamlet of Bayport.