Swine flu outbreak the city's worst

5/14/09
swine flu
By Heather Haddon

Swine flu outbreak the city's worst

By Heather Haddon

Facing its worst outbreak of swine flu to date, the city Thursday closed three Queens schools where hundreds of students reported flu-like symptoms and an assistant principal fell critically ill.

In a flare-up of swine flu Mayor Michael Bloomberg called “troubling,” four students and a staff member tested positive for swine flu at Intermediate School 238 in Hollis, officials said. More than 50 students have been sent home sick from the school this month.

During a new conference, Bloomberg said the assistant principal was hospitalized, though it was also reported that he was near death. The school official, whose name was not revealed, reportedly had pre-existing health problems.“[The flu] appears to spread rapidly,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg said there was no evidence yet that the flu had mutated into a more virulent strain, nor had it widely spread beyond the schools.

At Intermediate School 5 in Elmhurst, 241 students were absent yesterday, and dozens more were reported sick at Public School 16 in Corona.

The schools, with a total population of 4,500 students, will remain closed until next Friday.

Officials did not immediately know why all the cases had occurred in Queens.

Swine flu first broke out last month in the city in a Queens Roman Catholic high school. The infected students recovered and the school has reopened. There have been more than 4,000 cases nationwide, with three deaths.

“We encourage everyone to remain alert, rather than alarmed,” said Gov. David Paterson.
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Swine flu outbreak the city's worst

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