New York reports first swine-flu-related death

May 18, 2009

NEW YORK, May 17 – A New York City school principal suffering from swine flu

died on Sunday, becoming the city's first death due to H1N1 flu, medical

officials said.

Wiener, 55, died after being admitted to Flushing Hospital Medical

Center several days ago with the H1N1 flu virus, said Dr. Rubin, a

hospital spokesman. A city Health Department spokeswoman also confirmed a death,

but could not confirm the victim's identity.

It was the first death in New York City, where many of the US cases have been

reported but with mostly mild symptoms.

Mr Wiener had been in and out of consciousness and was being treated with an

experimental drug, but family members had said as recently as Saturday that he

was making some progress.

He was the assistant principal of Intermediate School 236 in Hollis in the New

York borough of Queens. The school was one of several city schools to be

shuttered after the illness afflicted patients and staff members.

Three additional schools will be closed beginning Monday in Queens for up to

five school days after officials documented increasing levels of influenza-like

illnesses.

" Given the large number of cases, it is entirely possible that in the coming

days there will be people with severe illness from flu, particularly among

people who have underlying health problems, " said Frieden, city health

commissioner.

The department said it would evaluate more school closings on the case-by-case

basis.

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