Two more New Yorkers with swine flu die
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BY Carrie Melago
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Updated Tuesday, May 26th 2009, 3:49 PM

Two more New Yorkers infected with swine flu have died, health officials
announced Tuesday.

It is not known if the H1N1 virus caused the latest two fatalities - a
41-year-old woman from Queens and a 34-year-old man from Brooklyn.

The new cases bring to four the number of New Yorkers who have died
after catching swine flu, said city health commissioner Thomas Frieden said.

"Until the medical examiner's report comes out, we won't know what else
was going on," Frieden said at a news conference.

The deaths come just two days after the city announced a 56-year-old
woman from Queens died from swine flu and more than a week after
Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener from Intermediate School 238 in
Queens became the first person in the city to die from the illness.

Frieden did not release the names or other details about the two latest
victims.

The commissioner said neither victim worked in the school system as far
as he knew. One died at home while the other could not be resuscitated
after being taken to a hospital.

A day after Mayor Bloomberg told reporters that those with swine flu are
"lucky" because it's a mild strain, he struck a more sympathetic tone,
urging anyone with medical problems to seek help if they feel ill.

"As the virus spreads through the city and through this country and
around the world, these deaths sadden us, but I don't think they take us
by surprise," he said. 'That doesn't, however, lessen the loss of loved
ones."

Frieden announced Tuesday that yet another school will close - Public
School 811 in Queens, a 42-student program for special needs children.

Since the outbreak began about a month ago, 42 public schools in 31
buildings have been shuttered after students and staff came down with
flu-like symptoms.

Twenty public schools and several parochial and private schools reopened
Tuesday, including Wiener's school.

The Ecuadorean consulate also temporarily closed its Manhattan and
Queens offices after employees fell ill, according to its website.

The city has confirmed 330 cases of H1N1, with 131 requiring
hospitalization. Frieden pointed out that the city typically has about
1,000 deaths from flu a year, but added that H1N1 appears to be more
contagious.