Tuesday 26 May 2009

US considers itself lucky to have Swine Flu

The journalist believe that it is just a joke but deep down it is the
feeling of the entire nation of USA.

For the victims of Swine Flu fatality, it is indeed very tragic.
We expect to see more fatality in USA with this kind of attitude and
facts prove it very clearly. The fatality rate of Swine flu in USA is
much higher than Mexico NOW.

Swine flu victim's wife rips Mayor Bloomberg over 'lucky' gaffe

BY Erin Einhorn, Sam Goldsmith and Nicole Bode
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Monday, May 25th 2009, 9:57 PM
Smith for News

Mayor Bloomberg is taking heat for comments he made about the swine
flu.
Take our Poll
Mayor's swine flu comments

Were you offended by Mayor Bloomberg's comments about the swine flu?

Yes. He was completely insensitive to those who have lost loved ones
to the swine flu.

No. He was just telling the truth.
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P.S. 12
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Lucky? The widow of the city's first swine flu victim blasted Mayor
Bloomberg for saying New Yorkers should "consider yourself lucky" to
get the virus.

"I'm not feeling very lucky. I'm sorry I can't agree with that," said
Bonnie Wiener, whose husband, Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener,
died last week.

"My children are not feeling very lucky either," the widow added.
"It's a very puzzling comment to make."

Bloomberg made the awkward remark a day after the city suffered its
second swine flu death.

"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," Bloomberg said Monday.

The mayor quickly explained that he wasn't downplaying the deaths.

"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."

Mitchell Wiener died from swine flu last week, followed by a Queens
woman in her 50s with an underlying health issue, the city's Health
Department revealed Sunday.

Bloomberg refused Monday to identify the city's second victim "out of
respect for the family." He said she did not work in the schools.

His decision to stay silent on her identity also rankled Wiener's
widow.

"When my husband died it was on the media before they called to tell
me," said Bonnie Wiener, a teacher at Intermediate School 238, where
her husband also worked.

She added she hoped the latest victim's family has "a strong support
system like I do."

"You're going to be angry," she said. "It's 2009 - who dies from the
flu anymore?"

The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in the city jumped by 50 -
up to 330 cases from 280 the day before, Health Department spokeswoman
Jessica Scaperotti said.

A Chicago-area resident died of swine flu, the first death in Illinois
and the 12th nationally, from the illness.

Authorities in Mexico, where the swine flu outbreak started, announced
three more deaths, raising its total to 83. Canada reported its second
death.

The continuing outbreak was worrisome for parents at 20 city schools
slated to reopen Tuesday.

"We don't know if the outbreak is gone," said Khemraj Ramnauth, whose
daughter Yanera attends IS 238. "It's very nerve-racking."

Others said they were ready to head back.

"Flu is a thing that comes and goes. It's not like a plague," said dad
Rahman Ali, 57.

nbode@nydailynews.com

With Benjamin Peim

Read more: "Swine flu victim's wife rips Mayor Bloomberg over 'lucky'
gaffe" - http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/05/25/2009-05-25_widow_raps_bloombergs_swine_flu_gaffe.html#ixzz0GaoMENJp&A

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