Oh, Perfect: Possible Swine Flu In Queens, NY

The swine flu that’s been hitting Mexico and the American Southwest has made its way to Queens, NY, beloved borough of at least one Guanabee blogger who is now regretting attending that street fair in Sunnyside yesterday and idling in front of the stand selling airbrushed “Santa Muerte” t-shirts.

New York authorities say at least 8 students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows “likely” have the illness, especially considering some of these students had recently returned from trips to Mexico. On Thursday and Friday, 200 students at the school became sick with fever, nausea, dizziness, aches and fatigue and were sent home.

Eight students who fell ill at the school tested positive for a strain matching the potentially fatal virus. The good news, for now, is that health officials are confident that we are better equipped to handle outbreaks of the illness - which is a mix of pig, bird and human flu - than officials in Mexico, where at least 81 people have died of the flu so far. Additionally, the students at St. Francis have what is being referred to as a “mild” case of the flu.

The Health Department has already sent out alerts about the Queens cases to physicians across the city and New York City hospitals have been stocked with extra ventilators. Health officials have also made sure to stock up on the flu-fighting drugs Tamiflu and Relenza in preparation for an outbreak.

NYC health officials: At least 8 Queens students likely have swine flu [NY Daily News]