New York's first swine flu victim dead

New York, May 18 (ANI): New York's first swine flu victim, an assistant principal in a school in the city's Queen's area, has died.

Assistant principal Mitchell Wiener of Intermediate School 238 in Queens died Sunday night at Flushing Hospital, a spokesman said.

The city ordered closure of five more schools in Queens as dozens more students came down with swine flu-like symptoms, and health officials warned the virus is far from done.

"It seems to be spreading faster, this strain," Mayor Bloomberg told reporters Sunday night as the city's Health Department urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant.

It is entirely possible that in the coming days there will be people with severe illness from flu, particularly among people who have underlying health problems. If you have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, emphysema and asthma and have been exposed to someone with flu, see your doctor," Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden added.

"The H1N1 virus appears to be spreading more rapidly at this time. Only time will tell how far, wide and long it will spread," he said. (ANI)