Swine Flu Death in New York

Despite assumptions that the worst of the swine flu was over, New York has now reported its first death from the H1N1 virus. Mitchell Weiner, a 55-year-old assistant principal at a school in Queen, died on Sunday from “complications of the swine flu,” said a spokesman for Flushing Hospital. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced last week that four students were infected and a school official was “critically ill” from the virus, although he declined to name them. Four other U.S. deaths have been reported, and all individuals had preexisting medical conditions. The health commissioner of New York said, “We are now seeing a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City.” Elsewhere, dozens of new cases were reported over the weekend in Japan, China, and Hong Kong, and the World Health Organization may raise its pandemic alert level to 6, the highest level.