Mitchell Wiener, the Assistant Principal from Intermediate School 238 in Hollis, Queens who was hospitalized last Wednesday with severe complications from a confirmed case of H1N1 influenza ("swine flu") has died. [CBS News New York] His family is denying initial news reports that he had pre-existing medical conditions that could have made him more susceptible to the virus [NBC News New York]
In addition, several more schools in New York City have been shut down for at least five days "after at least 100 students came down with flu-like symptoms" [NBC News New York].
Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said:
We are now seeing a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City... With the virus spreading widely, closing these and other individual schools will make little difference in transmission throughout New York City, but we hope will help slow transmission within the individual school communities. 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.
[NBC News New York]
The current list of closed schools, most of which are in the borough of Queens:
Public School 16 in Queens
Public School 107 in Queens
Public School Q233 at I.S. 25 (shares the same building with I.S. 25)
Middle School 158 in Queens
Intermediate School 5 in Queens
Intermediate School 25 in Queens
Intermediate School 238 in Queens (5 confirmed cases of swine flu)
Intermediate School 381 in Brooklyn
Junior High School 74 in Queens
World Journalism Preparatory School (shares the same building with I.S. 25)
Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village, Queens (Roman Catholic)
[ABC News New York]
More information about these schools can be found on the
NYC Department of Education website.
For more information about Swine flu, please see DemFromCT's excellent series
Flu And You