Charleston -- Health experts say people should be concerned, but not to the point of panic. While other states have experienced deaths related to the H-1-N-1 Virus, they knew it would eventually come to West Virginia.

Kanawha County Health authorities try to calm any fears the H-1-N-1 virus-related death may cause. Family members say the victim, 51 year old Michael Bloomfield of Charleston worked as a nurse at Saint Mary's Medical Center in Huntington. The health department says Bloomfield has a chronic illness that put him at higher risk. Now they plan to see who else may have been exposed.

"It is infectious, so it's definitely possible that all the people surrounding him at those times he was infectious could potentially be harborers of infection," says Dr. Rahul Gupta, Executive Director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department.

Some on the streets of Charleston took the news of the death in stride. "It's not scary to me yet, because there's always flu, things like that," says Dave Edwards of Teays Valley. "I guess it scares me a little, but for myself I never had the flu whatsoever, so personally it doesn't really scare me quite as much as some people," says Lisa Burton of Alum Creek.

Bloomfield will perhaps be remembered best for his contributions to the world of gospel music. It's an industry his friends say he knew quite well.

"He was well-known to all the different local groups, and he did a lot of work with them and produced CD projects,' says Doug Humphreys, a local gospel singer.

Meanwhile, health experts continue to stress precautions to keep from getting swine flu.

"If you are sick, don't be out in the public. This way other people will not be exposed," says Dr. Gupta.

He would not confirm what chronic illness Bloomfield had, saying only that folks with illnesses like diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease and obesity are at higher risk for swine flu.

On Tuesday, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department will host an H1N1 Symposium. It's also creating a task force to help deal with the virus.