CDC Investigating Case Of 16-Month-Old Queens Baby Who Was Suffering From Flu-Like Symptoms

Video included in link
Hundreds Of Patients Flock To Elmhurst Hospital Complaining Of Discomfort Reporting
Jay Dow NEW YORK (CBS) ―

As officials walk the fine line of trying to slow the growing swine flu outbreak without inciting public panic, they're now faced with the possibility of another fatal case at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.

Monday night, around 9:30, a 16-month-old was rushed into the ER with flu-like symptoms. Less than an hour later, the infant died, and now the hard work begins to determine if it's the city's second fatal case of swine flu.

Friends and loved ones are still grieving for the first New York victim, IS-238 Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener.

"He was one of the teachers that you could go and talk to if you had any problems," said student Elaina Bailey. "I really liked him and I'll really miss him."

His wife Bonnie, surrounded by those who knew and loved the veteran educator, held a vigil Monday night outside the school.

"He loved coming to work every day," said Bonnie Wiener. "He was happiest when he was sitting behind his desk in his office. He hated to go on vacation."

Wiener spent five days in the hospital before succumbing to the H1N1 virus, which is proving an elusive target for health officials.

"This flu is different from other flus," said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. "We don't have a vaccine against it yet. It appears that we don't have a lot of natural immunity to it, at least many people don't."

So far, the outbreak has caused six deaths nationwide. But that's fewer than the average flu season. Every year, the flu puts 200,000 people in the hopsital and causes 36,000 deaths. But make no mistake, anxiety is also spreading. Doctors at Elmhurst Hospital say the number of walk-in patients has increased sharply.

"The wait times in the emergency rooms have tripled or quadrupled just because people are walking in that aren't sick," said Dr. Luis Rodriguez of Elmhurst Hospital. "In the meantime, when we really have emergent cases, we have to prioritize, and the staff is outstretched."

Meanwhile, making a swine flu vaccine appears to be more difficult than experts first thought, the World Health Organization acknowledged Tuesday as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan met with pharmaceutical companies.

Health officials from around the world are attending WHO's annual meeting in Geneva this week to discuss the outbreak that has infected 9,000 people in over 40 countries, killing 76 of them.

Flu experts have told WHO that vaccine manufacturers will not be ready to produce a swine flu vaccine until mid-July at the earliest, WHO reported Tuesday. Previously, WHO officials had thought production could start in late May.

Experts also found no evidence that regular flu vaccines offer any protection against swine flu.

Symptoms of the swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting as well. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should seek health care and treatment. The best way to prevent additional cases of flu in schools is to stay home when sick, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and wash hands frequently.

For those who are ill, the recommendation is to stay home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.

Eating pork or pork products cannot spread the swine flu.
hat-tip The Mountains Voice