NYC School Official Dies From Swine Flu

City faces new wave of crisis
By A Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted May 18, 2009 2:17 AM CDT
NYC School Official Dies From Swine Flu
An 8th grader at the Susan B. Anthony middle school holds up a yearbook open to the page with the photograph of Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

An assistant principal in New York has become the sixth person to die from swine flu in the US, reports the New York Post. Mitchell Wiener, 55, fell ill more than week ago, but didn't seek medical help until his symptoms became severe, officials said. His school was shut last week as several students became ill. His death late yesterday came as five more Queens schools were closed—bringing the city's total to 11—after dozens of students reported flu-like symptoms.

"We think it will help stop transmissions throughout the city," Mayor Mike Bloomberg said of the closures. His handling of the crisis was criticized by the city's comptroller, who’s running for mayor. "We went from 'This is a crisis' to 'Don't pay attention' to 'OK, it's a crisis again,'" he said.
(More swine flu stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X