US swine flu death toll up to five

May 15, 2009

4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US health officials said Friday the nation's death toll from

swine flu had gone up to five, while the number of confirmed and probable cases

of the disease had reached 4,714.

The death toll first went up from three to four with the news that someone in

Arizona had succumbed to the A(H1N1) virus, the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) said.

And authorities in the state of Texas said a young man in his thirties had died

last week in Corpus Christi from complications from the disease due to existing

health conditions.

According to the CDC, some 47 states including the District of Colombia have

been hit by the disease. Only four states have been spared so far, Alaska,

Mississippi, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The first two people to die in the United States were also in Texas. They were a

Mexican toddler visiting relatives and a woman in her thirties who also had

existing health problems.

The third death was registered in the northwestern state of Washington -- a

young man again in his thirties who had a chronic heart condition.

Meanwhile, an assistant principal at a New York school remained critically ill

from swine flu, Mayor Bloomberg said Friday.

" The medical condition of the staff member ... remains unchanged. He is

hospitalized in critical condition, " Bloomberg said.

Three schools in the Queens neighborhood were shut for a week from Friday,

including the school where the sick staffer is employed.

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