This Thanksgiving, the CDC has been concerned that the H1N1 virus may spread further, what with holiday-related travel. The CDC's Dr. Beth Bell said, "It's important to remember the things that everybody can do to stay healthy," as in not traveling if you're sick, washing your hands frequently, and covering your sneezes and coughs—not to mention getting the vaccine. But what about coughing relatives already parked in your home? Long Island College Hospital's Dr. Clifford Bassett tells WCBS 2, "Without causing a political crisis within your family, you really want to quarantine anybody that's ill from an area where the people are congregating. If someone is ill, keep them away from the food preparation area - that's very important." more ›

CBS Early Show host Harry Smith wasn't at work this morning—because he suspects he may have the H1N1 virus! While he's doing the right thing by not going into work and infecting coworkers and other people he might be commuting with, we are curious about Smith's self-diagnosis. From 1010WINS: "In an interview live from his New York City apartment Monday, Smith told CBS viewers he started feeling achy and feverish over the weekend after a 25-mile bike ride in the rain and dancing all night at a birthday party." Let's see, a 58-year-old man who biked 25 miles in the rain AND danced all night... yes, swine flu it is. Other symptoms include "Trouble breathing or shortness of breath," "Pain or pressure in the chest or stomach," "Sudden dizziness," "Confusion," and "Severe vomiting that won’t stop." And recently Rachel Maddow battled swine flu. more ›

Just a few more days until the return to school comes for students across the city as medical experts anxiously await just how badly swine flu might affect the upcoming academic year. Already at Cornell University in Ithaca, 140 students have come down with flu-like illnesses in the two weeks since school has reconvened. more ›

The city announced its plan to combat the H1N1 virus—the swine flu—this fall, and it leads with offering school-aged children free vaccines. The city also emphasized that all New Yorkers get vaccinated for seasonal as well as swine flu (whenever that vaccine is ready) early. Mayor Bloomberg said, "Today is the first of what will be many efforts to keep New Yorkers informed about what we are doing to prepare for the return of the H1N1 and seasonal flu. We can't predict this year's flu season, but we can make sure that City government is fully prepared for whatever happens." more ›

Here's today's swine flu news: The World Health Organization expects an "explosion" of swine flu cases this fall. According to the WHO's Western Pacific director, Shin Young-soo, many countries will see the number of cases double every few days for several months—"It is certain there will be more cases and more deaths"—but the countries at greatest risk are the developing nations which are under-equipped to respond. Also, the Chilean health ministry says that swine flu was found in turkeys: "Authorities ordered a complete quarantine Friday and alerted the World Health Organization. Some illness was suspected at the farms owned by the Sopraval company after egg production dropped this month." (However, Chile's deputy health minister says turkeys are still safe to eat.) And in America, the CDC is recommending that businesses and employers develop plans on how to deal with swine flu, including suggestions like keep sick employees home and don't require doctor's notes. more ›

The family of the Queens high school administrator who was the city's first swine flu-related fatality has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city. The Daily News reports the suit alleges the city failed to provide "accurate information about the flu" to I.S. 238 Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener in a timely way, even as people in the school system were testing positive for the H1N1 virus back in May. more ›

The NYPD has lost its first officer to swine flu after a Brooklyn cop died following a seven-week fight with the virus. 27-year-old Officer Ryan Johnson of Brookhaven on Long Island died yesterday after weeks in a coma following his diagnosis on June 17th. He was a five-year veteran of the force out of the 83rd precinct in Bushwick. There is some debate as to whether a preexisting condition exacerbated the H1N1 virus—health officials said that Johnson had long suffered from asthma, but his mother denied that. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Johnson "fought valiantly over many weeks, often expressing his desire to return to the job." As of the Health Department's most recent report a month ago, the swine flu death toll in New York City was at 47. more ›

The Health Department updated its data summary of swine flu cases and deaths yesterday, revealing that six more people have died from the H1N1 virus. This brings the total of NYC swine flu deaths to 38. The only other details the Health Department offered is that the victims were between the ages of 25 and 65 and that there are a total of 1,262 confirmed cases so far. Overseas: The United Kingdom's Health Secretary says the country could see 100,000 cases a day (!) by the end of next month while China is rethinking its strategy as local provinces have been seeing outbreaks. A WHO official in China said, "The majority of H1N1 cases in China are still imported, but there have been some cases of local transmission and community clusters. Social distancing can help to limit the spread of the virus, as can more public education on how people can protect themselves and others against H1N1." more ›

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a new, drug-resistant strain of the H1N1 virus has been discovered in a patient in Denmark. Apparently the patient is not responding to Tamiflu, but Tamiflu manufacturer Roche's Pandemic Taskforce leader David Reddy said today, "Such a development had to be expected and is no surprise from a scientific point of view," noting that the patient was taking the drug as a preventative measure. Dow Jones reports that Reddy suggested "was probably already infected with the virus, and resistance to the drug emerged because he was given the lower preventative dose." While drug-induced resistance is rare, it happened 0.4% in adults during clinical trials. Danish health officials have also asserted that the strain has been isolated and has not spread to other patients. This comes alongside news that Swedish musician Jens Lekman also contracted the virus while on tour in South America, which he discovered while on an airplane home—which did not endear him to his fellow passengers. The city's Health Department is expected to make another swine flu update tomorrow. more ›

While the city's Health Department has emphasized that cases of swine flu are declining, the Daily News reports that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data suggests "half a million New Yorkers have been infected by swine flu." The CDC thinks there are actually 50 times more cases of swine flu than what's been reported to health authorities: "The CDC study was not based on laboratory evidence. Instead, researchers relied on mathematical modelling of surveys conducted in areas, like New York City, that have had high levels of H1N1 infections." Hmm. The Health Department had no comment; so far, the city has had 32 deaths and 804 hospitalizations due to swine flu. The next Health Department update will be on July 1. more ›

Yesterday, the Health Department announced two more New Yorkers died from swine flu, only noting that they were between 25 and 65 years old. So far, 32 people in NYC have died from the H1N1 virus and the Health Department believes the disease is waning, stating, "Community transmission of the H1N1 virus appears to be declining in New York City, as emergency departments report lower numbers of visits due to influenza-like illness." However, Reuters reports, "Germany's federal agency for infectious diseases said on Tuesday there were signs the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form." The head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases Joerg Hacker said there was concern about swine flu's development in Australia and South America, "It's possible the virus has mutated. In autumn the mutated form could spread to the northern hemisphere and back to Germany." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg offered up a priceless quote on the clip that has been circulating the internet, cable news and late night talk shows of President Obama stopping to kill a fly mid-interview. The mayor said to the Daily News, “I don’t know why he did it. I had pickets outside my house for geese last night. We are sending some of these geese for well-deserved rest up in the sky, wherever geese go. But the bottom line is, we can make fun of the geese but they’re a danger to human beings flying. And we’re doing what's appropriate, and I’m sure what the president thought about was that particular fly might be spreading something like the H1N1 flu and he was going to risk his own life with hands - bare hands, without Purell - and he protected the public by hitting that fly, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. I'm sure he’s laughing about it right now." Meanwhile PETA has sent the president a fly-catching device, asking him to think a little longer next time before he commits another "execution." more ›

Today, the Health Department announced that seven more deaths have been linked to the H1N1 virus, aka swine flu. The total number of swine flu-related deaths is now 23. From the Health Department: "Of the 20 deaths for which background medical information is available, 16 (80%) have occurred in people with established underlying risk factor for developing severe influenza or complications. The newly confirmed deaths have not all occurred during the current reporting period (June 12-16), and most involve people who were hospitalized in late May, at the peak of the outbreak." (Which means the Health Department's belief that swine flu is waning could still hold.) Newsday reports, "A young woman who had just given birth became the first apparent death from swine flu in Nassau County Tuesday... A pregnant woman between age 20 and 30 was admitted to a hospital June 5 with fever and respiratory symptoms and was confirmed to have swine flu. Her baby was delivered by Caesarean section that day and the woman was transferred to the intensive care unit two days later. She died yesterday." The baby is reportedly doing well. more ›

The NYC Health Department released data yesterday suggesting "community transmission" of swine flu (aka H1N1 virus) is on the decline, because emergency room visits have declined: "As expected, however, hospitalizations and fatalities continue to occur. As of June 11, the Health Department had recorded 567 hospitalizations and 16 deaths. The latest death occurred in a person aged 40-49." more ›

On the day the swine flu officially a pandemic, the NYC Health Department raised the number of swine flu-related fatalities to 15. And one of the victims was Sarah Michel, an 11-year-old and sixth grader at IS609K in Borough Park. Her mother told the Daily News, "It's just terrible. I don't know what to say. We're all grieving right now. We're all mourning my little girl." more ›

Swine flu is now officially a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. That's the highest alert level the WHO gives to contagious diseases and the first pandemic declared in 41 years. The raised alert level comes as the city's Health Department confirms today three more deaths due to the H1N1 virus and released estimates yesterday that show 550,000 people could be infected. But, while WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told Reuters the declaration "doesn't mean anything concerning severity, it is concerning geographic spread," some scientists are painting a graver picture. Said Cambridge University flu virologist Chris Smith to CBS News: "The writing has been on the wall for weeks...WHO probably doesn't want people to panic, but the virus is now unstoppable." more ›

A ninth person has died from swine flu, according to the NYC Health Department: "The death occurred in a person in their mid-50s with an underlying condition that increased the risk of severe illness from flu." So far, 428 New Yorkers have been hospitalized and there are 694 confirmed cases of swine flu. Yesterday, acting director of the CDC Dr. Richard Besser said that people could very well be getting two flu shots—one for the regular flu, another for the H1N1 virus—this fall, because health officials expect the swine flu to come back, "My biggest concern is complacency, a sense that we dodged a bullet here. I don't think we can let our guard down." He added that the CDC would take the summer to examine the effect of the school closures, "Clearly, schools can be seen as an area where there's a multiplier effect. But you also have to understand what happens when the schools close. Where do the children go? Do they become less of a multiplier or more of a multiplier? I don't know that we have the answers to any of that." more ›

Yesterday, the Health Department confirmed that an eighth New Yorker died of swine flu. The victim was over age 65 and had underlying conditions that made the flu more dangerous. The NY Times reports that the underlying conditions can "include being over 65 or under 2, having respiratory or immune system problems or being obese," (previously mentioned conditions also include heart disease, pregnancy, diabetes, kidney problems, blood disorders, emphysema, liver problems). Health Department spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti said people with the flu and underlying conditions or severe symptoms should seek medical attention, "While most of New York City’s H1N1 deaths involve people with established risk factors, influenza can be fatal in otherwise healthy people." In other news, four assistant prosecutors at the Bronx DA's office may have swine flu—none of the cases is confirmed yet but the office is being cleaned—and an inmate at Rikers filed a notice of claim against the city, because of the swine flu-prompted lockdown in his area (it's unclear if he has swine flu). more ›

There have been two more confirmed deaths from swine flu in New York City, health commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden confirmed during a press conference today. A 41-year-old Queens woman and a 34-year-old Brooklyn man have died since Friday; both had underlying medical conditions. The fatalities bring the NYC death toll to four; earlier this month Mitchell Wiener, an 55-year-old assistant principal at a Queens middle school, and a Queens woman in her 50s both died from swine flu. (The two recent victims are notably younger than the others.) During the press conference, Frieden also announced the closure of another school in Queens, a 42-student special-education program where children have flu-like symptoms. Frieden, who is President Obama's choice to lead the C.D.C., said that city emergency rooms are getting more than 2,000 visitors per day—the typical number of visits is usually under two hundred a day per E.R. But he also stressed that although swine flu is more contagious than seasonal flu, it is not more deadly (so far). According to City Room, roughly 1,000 city residents die each year die from complications of seasonal flu. Mayor Bloomberg even says swine flu victims should consider themselves lucky. more ›

Today, 20 public schools that had been closed after many students were absent (due to flu-like symptoms) are reopening, but 17 schools/programs are closed or are closing. IS 238 is among the reopened schools; the school's assistant principal Mitch Wiener was the city's first fatal swine flu victim. His widow spoke out, puzzled that Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday, "In some senses, if you have H1N1 [virus], you should consider yourself lucky because it so far seems to be a milder flu than the garden variety." Bonnie Wiener, still reeling from her husband's death, said, "I'm not feeling very lucky. I'm sorry I can't agree with that. My children are not feeling very lucky either." Bloomberg had been trying to reassure New Yorkers after the second swine flu death—a woman in her 50s with an apparent underlying health condition—and the Daily News notes he backtracked, "It's very sad that those that we've lost are gone, but the good news is that so far it does seem to be a relatively mild flu." more ›

With the death of a 50-something Queens woman attributed to swine flu (though she did apparently have an underlying health condition as well), City Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Queens) told the Daily News, "At this point, I don't know anybody who doesn't know someone who's gotten sick in the past few weeks - at least among people with kids. We're anxious to learn the details of this latest death." Mayor Bloomberg issued a statement about the woman's passing, "My father also died in his 50s because of an underlying health condition. I remember how hard that was on my mother, my sister and me, and my thoughts and prayers are with this woman’s family." The Department of Health, which says there are 280 confirmed cases, is urging anyone with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, plus flu symptoms to call a doctor. The NY Times adds that the number of people hospitalized with swine flu in NYC "had risen to 94 on Sunday from 68 Saturday and 57 on Friday, health department officials said, suggesting that the rate of infection and hospitalization might be increasing." more ›