NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City health officials say that about 75 students at a Queens high school have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms and testing is under way to rule out the strain of swine flu that has killed dozens in Mexico.The Health Department's Dr. Don Weiss said Friday that a team of agency doctors and investigators were dispatched to the private St. Francis Preparatory School the previous day after students reported fever, sore throat, cough, aches and pains. No one has been hospitalized.
The handful of sick students who remained at the school were tested for a variety of flu strains. If they're found to have a known human strain that would rule out swine flu.
Results could take several days. In the meantime, the school says it's postponing an evening event and sanitizing the building over the weekend.
114 comments:
My daughter is a freshman at SFP and I seriously doubt these kids have contracted swine flu. The media are swine! Hopefully it was a severe case of spring fever.
it is too late... if you seen any of the past horror movies, it is too late.. their family is infected, their friends are infected. My local Pharmacy already ran out of N95 type facemask. By the time CDC or anyone tell you it is swine virus.. 100,000 residents might be in trouble... hope the hot weather and weekend ease the spread...
this occurred in January
Michael Gruber, 17, a senior at Massapequa High School, went to bed with flulike symptoms after taking a state Regents exam on Wednesday and woke up the next morning feeling very ill. He was taken to the hospital and died Thursday afternoon. LeeAnne Burke, 27, of Bellerose, Queens, a guidance counselor at St. Francis Preparatory High School in Queens, died on Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/nyregion/26sick.html?_r=1&fta=y
wow!!!
I'm done with the school!!
It has to be their air circulation system...
I will bring my kid to do a blood test tomorrow regardless!!!
I'm currently a senior in this school, and I haven't been infected. But a lot of my friends have been. A lot of people didn't come to school today out of fear, and it's just insane. Hope things get better before I graduate. =/
Im a senior in sfp, and iv been non-stop throwing up, i have a horrible fever, eyes burn, sore throat and back pain. ALOT of people are sick with whatever this is, obv. its something serious if everyone is getting it..i just hope its not this swine flu thats all over the news.
im a senior at prep as well but haven't gotten sick.. i think its all hype and exaggeration on many people's park
part*
well linda it's no joke and you should really be concerned. if you read the reports mexico shut down everything to get it in control. and there have been cases in the us, so i would be worried.
damn mexicans we should of shipped their asses home! japan is paying for people to leave their country, usa should do the same.
on mexidan tv, they say the cases in california started BEFORE they did in mexico. they think it came from asia to Cali, to mexico
Several of the students were said to have recently traveled to Mexico, where as many as 61 people have died and possibly hundreds more have been infected in an outbreak of swine flu in recent weeks.
Swine Flu Fears at a Private School in Queens
the incubation period is 5 to 7 days. All students in SFP should be isolated for at least a week and they should observe the sibling and immediate family. And definitely seek medical professional to sort out if anything is serious.
Carried, no doubt, by those illegal day laborers lined up on practically every main thoroughfare in Queens!
Oh...but I guess concern for public health can be misinterpreted as racism from you knee jerks out there!
First it's those virulent strains of TB and now the swine flu!
What's next?
NYC is beginning to look more and more like a 3rd world country as each day passes.
On second thought....maybe the swine flu is being spread by our greedy pig/pols who are seeking their third term.
Oink, oink....mayor Bum-turd!
Was your daughter tested for swine flu by a qualified medical professional?
Or are you making an unqualified assumption..."Linda"?
I think that its highly suspect that so many "students" are counter posting here!
Sounds more like faculty to me!
If the Catholic church spent years covering up sexual abuse what's a little white lie about an infectious disease at SFP!
Flu spreads like wildfire and was the cause of perhaps the greatest loss of life of any epidemic, the 1918 Spanish Influenza epidemic. Unlike many other diseases, the flu is often most harmful to youth since older individuals have often been exposed to previous strains of the flu that confer partial immunity.
Today there are medicines with interferon that can be appropriate for the worst flues. A call to a doctor is appropriate. Other flu-like illnesses such as meningitis are also frequently associated with schools and are just as serious.
With any luck, this is just a garden-variety flu or cold that is going around.
Don't blame the Mexicans this came from Asia to California to Mexico and if you notice, Asians are very filthy people when it comes to not washing hands, not covering their mouths on the train when they cough, putting one finger on a nostril and snotting on the sidewalk with one big blow and carrying SARS and T.B. and all sorts of horrific diseases. There are a lot more Asians in Queens with filty habits than anyone else so remember to cover your mouths when you cough, wash hands, and stop blowing noses onto the sidewalk and we should be fine.
>>>If the Catholic church spent years covering up sexual abuse what's a little white lie about an infectious disease at SFP!<<<
Looks like Gothamist and Gawker aren't the only places where the word "Catholic" immediately trips the "sexual abuse" buzzer.
www.forgotten-ny.com
If it went from Asia to California to Mexico, that's probably because the Japs are sending their Mexicans home.
then again, i only see asian people wear mask in public, maybe it is a habit from asia.
Know-Nothing said...
If the Catholic church spent years covering up sexual abuse what's a little white lie about an infectious disease at SFP!
Why don't you get the local rabble together and burn the place down ala "Gangs of New York". That will solve your problem.
Or do you prefer just to exhibit your anti Catholic bias anonymously from the sidelines.
Conspiracy and innuendo are the tools of despots.
You’re a small-minded person with a large capacity for hatred.
burn the church down.. nah... we should burn your house down CJ. Make there should be more "suicide". I don't think is the institute... I think is individual.. so let's do the terminator style instead of gang of new york style...
and no N95 mask in my supermarket either!!
BUY FACE MASKS to protect yourself.
then again, i only see asian people wear mask in public, maybe it is a habit from asia.
-----------------------------------
Everytime I see some asian woman with one of those face masks, I wonder if they know some secret that they are not sharing with round-eye.
i strongly think that a lot of kids at that school who left the country for their spring break;;came back infected, and then infected other students.
I bet it is too late for many as so many people still has the mentality of "no going to happen to me"...
this would be a killing weekend
Flowers, Funeral business will be booming in coming months!!
I am a student at SFP and there are a lot of kids in the hospital as of now. Most have influenza A. On thursday they said that 85 kids went home with flu like symptoms, but as i heard from some students and teachers it was 200 kids. On friday 513 kids were absent and about 200 went home early. Half the school was missing. This is a very serious situation, but our school doesn't have the desency to close down on friday even though all these students got sick on thursday.
I first saw Japanese wearing surgical style masks in 1971. Turns out that it was very common.
But it actually works two ways. It protects the wearer, but also a sick person will wear one to protect everyone else.
"If the Catholic church spent years covering up sexual abuse what's a little white lie about an infectious disease at SFP!"
Actually I'd be more concerned with our teachers. They are way ahead of priests in child abuse.
Everyone needs to calm down. First of all, it has never been confirmed that it is swine flu in the first place. Second, everyone, including the news, has been exaggerating this situation. And third, the school just recently opened after easter break. Most of us that go there have been on vacation, traveling to new places, on air planes (which are known to have poor air circulation, spreading germs, resulting in people on board getting sick and having the flu after vacationing.) Plus, its a big school, germs are easily spread. All typical reasons why a large number of students would be sick at this time. And its what?, 75 students? Only 75 out of 3,000 students. Please.
And that guidance counselor died from manigitus, tard. There was a whole craze because of that too, back in January. And what happened then? Nothing. Everyone else turned out to be perfectly fine, and healthy.
This is just another opportunity for the news and gossipers at prep to get their panties all up in a bunch.
Ok paige. You should relax cause you don't even go to Prep. It wasn't 75 students. It was 200 that went home on thursday and more on friday and some of them on wednesday. That all adds up. And i go to prep and ive seen these kids. They look really sick. There is a huge group of kids at the hospital right now. Some have fainted. This is serious. 12 people might have the swine flu so don't say its not a big deal because you don't know what all these kids are going through.
THIS WAS NOT A JOKE. MY GRANDSON WAS ONE OF THE KIDS SENT HOME ON FRIDAY. THEY DID NOT WANT ANYONE TO GO EVEN INTO THE SCHOOL INSTEAD THEY SEND THE KIDS OUTSIDE TO THE PARENTS TO TAKE TO THE DOCTOR. WHEN WE TOOK OUR GRANDSON TO THE DOCTOR HE ALREADY HAD 103 FEVER, CHILLS, A SORE THROAT, DIARRHEA AND BODY ACHES. FOR THE MONEY THAT IS PAID TO THIS SCHOOL FOR THESE KIDS EDUCATION I EXPECTED ALOT BETTER CARE. THEY HANDLE THIS SITUATION VERY POORLY. NOW MY GRANDSON IS TAKING ANTIBIOTICS.
I AM A REALLY PISSED OFF GRANDPARENT.
Funny thing is on the news just now there was a DOH press conference where they said so far all the symptoms the kids are experiencing are mild. I would say a 103 degree fever is not mild.
I am a freshman at SFP. I have no been infected but i think I am becoming infected because my throat is sore and my body is weak. This is a very serious situation and I don't think they are doing enough. Thye knew so many kids went home on thursday so I dont understand why they even opened the school friday.
They said they checked the air quality and found no problems. Well, obviously there was a problem because half the school has the swine flu.
I live near the school and was in my doctors office today for something unrelated. They are a family practice and were fielding tons of calls from concerned parents and sending them directly to a local hospital for testing. I also overheard murmuring about at least one confirmed case. The news is not reporting this yet so either the health department is not telling the truth or the information has not reached them yet. The doctor told me that most people can probably fight this off like regular flu and there are two medications that seem to be effective but it is much more dangerous for younger and older patients. It can be spread as easily as being coughed on by an infected person. I would definitely have my child tested if they attend the school and are showing any signs of being sick. Better safe than sorry.
They finally just confirmed 8 probable cases at the school. Supposedly several students had been to Mexico over spring break. So much for "Linda" and her spring fever and media swine theory.
Wow, paige, you OBVIOUSLY dont go to the school because, as a student at Prep, I saw how many people were sick. And you're obviously getting the number 75 from the media, which is completely exagerating the situation in the other way. There was WAY more than 75 students, and this whole epidemic is serious.
And yes it has been confirmed that it is swine, even though not severe in all people (many of my friends took tests and they have minor cases)
I am a senior at SFP and I have a scratchy throat only sore in the morning, 100 degree fever, and an occasional cough. I haven't lost my appetite , haven't threw up, and my body doesn't ache. I really feel fine. If it were up to me I would go to school on Monday (if the situation was less serious). Some of my friends have 103 and 105 fever. Once I get diarrhea or throw up I am going to get checked up.
My daughter is a freshman at Prep and luckily right now she is not sick, but many of her friends are. She has 2 friends with fevers reaching 104-106.
The news is now saying 200 students were out but on thursday the principal said on the loud speaker that 900 kids were out sick according to my daughter. Attendance was not taken on Friday, why is that?
I for one will keep my daughter out of school till they know exactly what is going on.
Folks,
I live in NJ and have been tracking flu viruses that have the potential to form a pandemic for ten years. Please, what is going on in your school is not to be taken lightly. If you feel ill, go to a doctor and report any sick contacts you have so you can receive adequate treatment. This is a virus-and they know no patriotism to any country. They seek out a host to live in; let's not give them any credit for being anything else. Get educated to this issue-fast!
Grace RN
suggested web sites:
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
well its confirmed 9 kids in prep have swine flu they just said it on the news
I'm a teacher at Prep and I can tell you that the principal did NOT come on the loud speaker to say that 900 students were absent and attendance WAS taken on Friday, I received an email of all of the 500+ students that were out from school. Some students stayed home because their parents were afraid that they too would get the "sickness" - so there is really no way of knowing if all 500+ students were sick.
The school is sanitizing over the weekend, so they seem to be taking the precautions necessary to keep this epidemic under control. I don't think that administration would put itself, its teachers, or its students in danger.
Anon Teacher,
It would be extremely prudent for your school to be closed for the next two weeks. EXTREMELY PRUDENT. This virus is spread by droplet-the 3' wide spray caused by a human cough or sneeze. Sanatizing the school does nothing to decrease the risk of the infection inside the students. A person can be contagious and have NO symptoms!
Grace RN
I'm a student at SFP as well. How can you say that students are overreacting and such when you haven't even been at our school to experience what's really going on? Literally half the school was out on Friday. Over 100 kids had fevers of at least 100 degrees in just 2 days- does that sound normal to you?
Another thing. Paige, don't call someone a "tard" when you can't even correctly spell meningitis. However, you are correct about one thing- Louie, you left an extremely idiotic comment. Why are you writing about 2 people who died from meningitis from 2 completely different schools? That makes no sense. And the guidance counselor died from meningitis, and she was the only one with it. What does that have to do with my school's circulation system?
And I'll bet that Asian homes are a billion times cleaner than any of yours. Don't discriminate. Its not like you haven't seen people of other races that are filthy in public. Just because SARS originated in Asia doesn't mean all diseases do.
I am a student at prep and when my sister came to pick me up on friday the man in the attendence office said there were 513 kids absent, and from the look of all the early dismisals on his desk there was about 200 of them. There are 8 kids that there results turned out positive for swine flu but it hasn't been confirmed yet. From what i heard the rest of the kids that went to the hospital have influenza A or they were ok. This isn't a joke. When i passed by the nurses office on thursday i looked at the kids in there and they looked extremely sick. School should atleast be closed on monday because we don't need to risk anymore students getting sick.
I agree with the Anonymous person above me.. i attend SFP, and if this was just a "hyp" or exaggeration, so many people wouldnt be sick at this very momment. Stop talking about other ethnicities cause everyone is different and its not the "mexicans" fault, nor is it the asians..this is just something gone bad...So stop blogging about something so stupid and turn on your tv.. 8 people have already tested POSITIVE for this swine flu. this is a serious situation. im just hoping for the best
I was first to comment here, and unfortunately, I was wrong. My daughter had a fever earlier today, which broke, but now has returned, so I'll be watching closely. My daughter hadn't indicated that alot of kids were ill the previous day. Sorry this was an instance I was hoping it would not be as serious as it has become. Bottom of the line, I hope and pray all students and families involved are ok.
LMAO maybe if all these over privileged children did NOT go to Mexico during break and did something productive rather then drink their lives away in bikinis and have random stranger sex, this wouldn't be happening. you complain about paying over 6 grand a year for this school for it to have poor air circulation? get over yourselves. air circulation is not going to make much of a difference, if the kid next to you has it and sneezes on you. chances are, you might get it. air circulation will not change that.
and yes, this is a big deal, but lets be serious here, these people did not get it from Asians or Mexicans walking down the street. they got it from people JUST LIKE THEM! students at prep! so can all you racist pigs go hang out with the other pigs, maybe then you'll get this virus.
DUHhhh This illness brought in by the stupid greeks who went to vacation in Mexico.
If anyone having flu, diarrhea and cough sickness symptoms than put 2 tea bag in the hot water and juice of one fresh lemon and heat it up for 5 mins and give it to the sick people for 2 or 3 times it should help.
Thanks
someone posted a comment about a possible link between meningitis and the flu. While the symptoms might be similar, it should be noted that those 2 people who died from meningitis died in Jan 08, not '09 as it is led to be believed. The story was written on Jan 25, 08. Check you facts before posting . For all who are interested: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-limeni0125,0,7813906.story
so can all you racist pigs go hang out with the other pigs, maybe then you'll get this virus.
===================================
that is funny, only because the mexicans in mexio who handle pigs, are linked to this virus.
and by the way, sfp, is a private school, it has many colors, not only white.........
wow, no way the students are posting here. This is Queens crap and not facebook or twitter... The principal should be fired for not recognize and control the situation earlier. Now the Swine is confirmed and if you believe it is only 8 cases par DOH... I think it is too late for some students and their parent... soon you will hear death and nyc region is not prepared with enough tamiflu or treatment given it typically end of flu season...
Not to scare anyone, I worked in a Funeral home, our director said this is a first time for a long time there is too much business for a week. Without telling him the swine flu (as he is one of those people dont have cable or internet), his guess was the economics drive people out of medicine and not taken care of themselves. But is there any chance like one of the poster said about not knowing and maybe it is already happening.
St. Francis Prep spring break trips are heavily chaperoned.
Aside from the wrong year I actually thx "Louie" done the research. I see no other readers googling except many are writing about hatred and name calling.
I don't believe it is the fault of the school principal, as he/she probably like any elected official, they just know how to BS and look good, they rarely has any thinking capacity.
"Kevin" must be one of those "good Catholics" who prefers to turn a blind eye to all of that boy buggering.
"Bless me (them) Father for I (they) have sinned"!
check this out. Be scared be very scared! People in Queens are usually "nasty" and no conception of sanitation practice, many families will be soon coming down like the below story
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=7428992&page=1
I am definitely keeping my kids at home for next 48hrs and I will try to find some masks too.
Not just no more N95 mask, even rubbing alcohol is running very low! the waldgreen clerk had not even know about the swine flu. Everyone just referred it as mexican's flu!
(This is whitestone btw)
This has nothing to do with race why turn it into that? Then again I found this site while googling the virus and did not realize it was basically a place to trash the neighborhood. Still some of the comments here are just ignorant. Menengitis has nothing to do with this and this virus does not care what race you are. Nobody going on a vacation in mexico for spring break expected this either. They only sent 9 samples to the CDC for testing and so far 8 came back positive. They just don't know what strain. The US strain does seem milder or maybe we just have better healthcare. Lets hope for the best. Also if your kids go to prep maybe keep them at home for a few days and keep an eye on them even if they have no symtoms yet to avoid exposing others! I live near the school and am nervous.
Lmao at the remark about the japs sending people home!
i wish the usa would start to deport their asses home too.
people travel around too much and bring shit back to the usa.
if you can't drink the water in dirty mexico, why would you think you were safe from some form of flu.......
travel the usa, stay free and clean!
"St. Francis Prep spring break trips are heavily chaperoned."
The St. Francis Prep trip to Hawaii was heavily chaperoned because it was a SCHOOL trip...... but you cant say that about any trips to Mexico because that is just any other vacation...
I am saying this because they had school trips to Cancun during spring break when I went there. I thought that's the trip these kids went on.
It's official. St. Francis Prep is CLOSING SCHOOL on Monday and Tuesday (April 27-28).
http://www.1010wins.com/Suspected-Swine-Flu-School-Closes/4272598
Posted: Sunday, 26 April 2009 11:07AM
Suspected Swine Flu School Closes
NEW YORK (AP/WINS) -- The Queens high school where more than 100 students fell ill will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Students at St Francis Preparatory School could learn as early as Sunday if the flu that sickened them was the same strain of the human swine influenza that has killed people in Mexico. The school is closed Monday on the advice of the health commissioner. School principle Br. Leonard Conway told 1010 WINS they have decided to close Tuesday as well as a precaution.
Preliminary tests of samples taken from sick students' noses and throats confirmed that at least eight had a non-human strain of influenza type A, indicating probable cases of swine flu, city health officials said. The exact subtypes were still unknown, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was conducting further tests.
So far, there have been at least 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in California, Texas and Kansas. Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.
New York health officials said more than 100 students at the St. Francis Preparatory School, in Queens, recently began suffering a fever, sore throat and aches and pains. Some of their relatives also have been ill.
Some St. Francis students had recently traveled to Mexico, The New York Times and New York Post reported Sunday.
Workers were sanitizing the school as a precaution. But a class reunion featuring cocktails, dinner and dancing for hundreds of alumni from as far back as 1939 went on as scheduled Saturday.
Symptoms in the New York cases have been mild, said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. But the illnesses have caused concern because of the outbreak in Mexico, where health officials say a strain of swine flu has killed up to 81 people and sickened more than 1,000.
Parent Jackie Casola said Sunday that her son Robert Arifo, a St. Francis sophomore, told her on Thursday that a number of children had been sent home because of illness. On Friday, he said hardly anyone was in school.
Casola said she expected to keep him home from school on Monday, even if it was open. He hasn't shown any symptoms, but some of his friends have, she said, and she has been extra vigilant about his health.
``I must have drove him crazy, I kept taking his temperature in the middle of the night,'' she said.
The World Health Organization chief said Saturday that the strain has ``pandemic potential,'' and it might be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.
If the CDC confirms that the New York students have swine flu, Frieden said he likely will recommend that the school remain closed Monday ``out of an abundance of caution.''
State infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers have been dispatched to monitor and respond to possible cases of the flu. Gov. David Paterson said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.
The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant and test patients who have flu symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.
Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx. Two families in Manhattan also have contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu symptoms, Frieden said.
Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities near St. Francis Prep have already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak, he said.
Kansas health officials said Saturday that they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, weren't hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.
``Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves,'' said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases are uncommon but can occur in people who are around pigs. It also can be spread from person to person. Symptoms include a high fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat and respiratory congestion.
At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The most recent California case, the state's seventh, was a 35-year-old woman from Imperial County who got sick in early April. She had no known contact with the others.
Health officials are concerned because people appear to have no immunity to the virus, a combination of bird, swine and human influenzas. The virus also presents itself like other swine flus, but none of the U.S. cases appear to involve direct contact with pigs, Eberhart-Phillips said.
School sponsored trip for HS students to a resort in Cancun? Is there something educational in Cancun that I am not aware of? I am the only one who thinks this is crazy. My senior year trip was to DC. I did not go on spring break with friends until I was in college. Same rules will apply for my kid.
It's not a senior trip, it's a spring break trip. You have to pay for it. It's not paid for by the school, but it is supervised by them.
Does anyone know how long the students were back from Mexico before they became ill? Did the students who went to Mexico become ill before the general student population? I heard or read there is a nine-day window of being able
to spread this flu.
THERE WAS NO SCHOOL TRIP TO MEXICO! I go to the school and I know this for a fact. The only school supervised trip was to Hawaii. If anyone went to Mexico it was because they just wanted to go. NOTHING school related
-_________-
We were in cancun over Easter too. Do you know what resort these kids stayed at and do you know if they took any excursions?
I am a student at SFP. I went to Mexico on spring break this year with with 8 other kids from prep as well. I currently am sick and the hospital said is was probably swine. Three of my other friends who went are sick and they haven't been part of the confirmed swine cases. We all got back last Sunday I started feeling sick about Tuesday night. One of my friends also got sick on Tuesday and 2 others on Thursday. We are all slowly getting better.
I had a fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches. My fever got as high as 103 and lasted for about 4 days. I still have a sore throat and cough as well as little body aches. The hospital just told me to get rest, drink a lot of fluids and avoid contact with people. He gave me surgical masks to wear incase I need to go out so I do not infect other people. It is very contagious, I have rarely left my house. The doctors said this is just mild case of the swine flu and hopefully it will not spread and become severe.
The trip to Mexico was NOT a school trip, just a vacation with friends. It was NOT supervised by the school, trust me on that. No one felt sick until we got back, but we are getting better and that's what is important.
Plus...we stayed at Oasis Cancun for the other question.
No excursions.
that is funny, only because the mexicans in mexio who handle pigs, are linked to this virus.
and by the way, sfp, is a private school, it has many colors, not only white.........
===================
i know sfp has many colors, i went there. and actually. pigs are linked to this virus too. if im correct, it is called the SWINE flu. from pigs. so what i MEANT (and maybe you didnt get this) is what anyone who is saying that this is because of Mexicans, or Asians, or Greeks, can go hang out with the actual pigs[swine]. and maybe then get the disease. and THEN stop blaming it on those races because it is NOT from them. durrrrrr
Wow this is really scary. I go to Archbishop Molloy which isn't that far away from Prep. I wish the best for all the St Francis Prep students and hopefully this gets resolved.
I highly recommend that people take a look at colloidal silver. Supposedly it's a natural supplement that can be beneficial against many diseases.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMq-C0Ty7Q
let me say this now. I know one of the sick kid's parent and he was coughing like no tomorrow, and he were touching all the fruits in the W******* supermarket in whitestone. I'm scared now. This is a virus right and how long exactly does a virus live outside the host?
well my daughter has a slight fever 99.8 and am I supposed to panic? She has no other symptons but most of her friends from prep are sick.
Im getting her to the doctor tomm to hopefully rule it out.
This is getting scarier everyday.
read and educate yourself people... it is less lethal for kids and elderly, its target is people between 20 to 45!! And am i reading it right, DOH only able to contact 9 students and 8 came back as possible. That means it is nearly 95% of them is positive!!! I agree with Luigi, it is going to be crazy. The Number of parent who posted here actually don't seem taking this seriously. That just crazy
Hi ... I'm a journalist with The Associated Press covering the St. Francis Prep story, and we're looking for parents and students connected with the school to tell their stories. Please e-mail me at JHoffner@ap.org if you are able to talk. Thank you.
Colloidal silver is a very controversial supplement that has been known to cause a medical condition known as argyria. This is a permanent greying of the skin caused by deposit of the silver particles. Although this condition is not dangerous, it is permanent and disfiguring. Seek medical advice from trained professionals.
As far as a link between meningitis and swine flu goes, there is no link, they are totally different diseases but they can mimic each other in appearance and can be commonly found in institutional settings such as schools and hospitals.
LATEST NEWS HEADLINE:
U.S. DECLARES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OVER SWINE FLU
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/world/27flu.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=world
I think that all of you who say this is nothing.... are a bunch of idiots. Whatever this thing is, its pretty bad. My sister goes to SFP and she's in and out of the hospital. If you think this is an exaggeration, I seriously hope you catch it also. Then you can tell yourself its all just hyped up.
A parent of a senior told the Daily News said a dozen or so went to Cancun on a senior spring break trip. I still don't understand sending a high school kid on a trip like that but to each their own. Unfortunately they have now come back with more than a tan and a tshirt from senor frogs and it is going to affect a lot of other people. I am also wondering why they quarantined the family in Texas but the families here with kids in prep are going about their business as usual. Maybe Texas is overreacting or maybe we are underreacting. Wishing those affected a quick recovery.
Hi everyone, hopefully more information will come out soon. But in the meantime do not go to Long Island Jewish Medical Center. They will refuse you treatment or even to test if you have swine flu. They are turning people away and dismissing all symptoms (even if you attend St. Francis Prep). CNN news is on the scene and LIJ is doing everything possible to prevent CNN from talking to people with symptoms. Security stopped my mom and sister from speaking to CNN once told that the hospital is refusing to do the testing. Dont waste your time there.
THE ALIENS ARE COMING!!!!!!!
Okay, so upon browsing your comments, it seems like very few people have any idea what's going on. Everyone is just blindly accepting rumors as apparent facts.
First of all, I AM a student at St. Francis Prep, not a faculty member as a few of you suggest. Students don't just stick to facebook. It seems like the "adults" here are very stereotypical and clearly are just being frantic and insane.
Second of all, the number of kids sent home on Thursday was somewhere between 85 and 100 students. Not 75, like the media said, and certainly not 200, like some idiot above me said.
The number of kids out on Friday was about 500. Not all of these kids were sick. My mom didn't want me to go to school because of the high number of kids sent home Thursday. We had a lot of family things this weekend and figured it was best to make sure I didn't get sick. Although I cannot confirm this, the number of kids sent home on Friday was around 200.
The school did not close school on Friday, but due to the precautionary warning from the Board of Health, an evening event to take place Friday night WAS cancled. The Board of Health is also having the school closed Monday & Tuesday.
Now, to address how this got here. There were students who did go to Mexico for spring break. I will tell you that this was NOT a school trip. There were two senior trips, one to Hawaii and one to Italy.
It is very racist of the above people to blame this on Mexicans or Asians. THIS DISEASE CAME FROM PIGS. Honestly, it's called the SWINE flu. There are different types of flus in all species. The reason that we are having such a "potential pandemic" or whatever is because our immune systems are not able to effectively combat a virus that occurs in a different species.
All in all, it seems as though the cases here are very mild. School will be closed and hopefully this will stop the spread of this.
I don't think this is going to be of pandemic proportions. The last pandemic was the flu in 1918. Honestly, it seems as though we'll be fine.
And people, stop posting ignorant and idotic comments. It reflects poorly on our society.
With all due respect to Melissa, who is certainly a bright young lady, the reason disease spreads is because of poor hygiene. Countries such as Mexico and China exhibit poor hygiene. Many of their citizens are poor and uneducated and don't know about simple things like handwashing, which has been mentioned as a way to prevent spread of the virus. In other words, it's not a coincidence that these diseases like SARS and swine flu originate in places that do not value cleanliness. It's also a good reason why we need to prevent the undocumented from crossing our borders. They could carry a bug that ends up killing us one day.
i agree with melissa most of the people who have posted realy come off as ignorant retarded assholes
The ignorance of the people completely astounds me.
Hey folks, there have been 2 other updates on this topic since this one, maybe it's time to move on...
In response to the "anonymous" below me: of course, poor hygiene can accelerate the spread of viruses, but it was not illegal immigrants that brought this to my school. It was addmittedly kids who went to Cancun. Viruses aren't signs of poor hygiene. Just because you sneeze and don't wash your hands the moment afterwards, does not mean you are dirty. Viruses have nothing to do with bacteria or anything of the sort. I'm not saying that poor hygiene didn't play a part in how this orignated, just that it doesn't have much to do with how it got to St. Francis Prep.
I attend SFP and im one of the 6 people who have been tested positive for this swine flu, people have too stop blaming the mexicans and the principle.. it was those kids who went to mexico and didnt take care of them selves well, who got almost the whole damn school sick.. i have a 103.7 fever, and my whole body is sore. This will pass over time, everyone just has too calm down.. we have great doctors and people who will figure out what this is and find a cure, in the mean time just stay calm and go to the doctor if you feel sick. and for those who are simply blogging with out being involved.. go do something else with your damn time and just be careful when you go out.
Only Jesus can really fully cure everyone
Illegal immigrants can be harboring disease when they cross the border is all I'm saying. Legal immigrants are checked for disease and quarantined if they have it.
I spoke to my daughters doctor today and he said the media is making it sound worse than it is. He said its very mild case for the ones that have it and it will pass.
My daughter has a slight fever and I am monitoring her but I am not going to panic.
We cannot blame anyone for this. It is not the mexicans, the kids that went on spring break, and definently not the schools fault. Things happen. The only way I would fault the school is they opened up tomorrow but they are not. Saint Francis Prep is one of the best schools and I totally trust that they are watching out for our kids or I would not have sent my daughter there. Stop trying to blame everyone and just take precautions on what is happening.
I commented on this page before. I am one of the students who went to Mexico and in fact got sick.
No one knows whos fault it is. Cases have been found in Mexico AND the U.S. before it was even found at SFP. Anyone could have started this in prep, not only us kids who went to Mexico. Not even all of us are sick, only 3 of 12. And the 3 of us that are sick were NOT even in school Thursday or Friday when everyone seemed to be getting it.
We are not taking the blame or blaming anyone. They cannot find out how it started and therefore pointing fingers will get you no where.
The only thing everyone could do is take extra precaution and stay home if you are sick.
PLEASE E-MAIL THIS REPORTER TO TELL HER HOW WRONG SHE IS ON THE NEWS ARTICLE. I E-MAILED HER TO TELL HER SHE WAS WRONG. BUT SHE REFUSES TO BELIEVE IN A LOCAL RESIDENT (ME) WHO ACTUALLY LIVE SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM ST. FRANCIS PREP.
HER NAME: CAROL WOLF
E-MAIL: cwolf@bloomberg.net.
SHE STATED IN HER NEWS ARTICLE THAT THE CVS DRUG STORE IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM ST. FRANCIS PREP.
ANYONE WITH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ST. FRANCIS PREP AREA KNOW THAT THE CLOSEST CVS DRUGSTORE IS ON 188TH STREET WHICH IS AT LEAST 1/2 MILE FROM ST. FRANCIS PREP.
ST. FRANCIS PREP IS SURROUNDED BY CUNNINGHAM PARK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=atrxn1tkOe64&refer=home
CVS, Walgreen Ready Stores for Rising Demand From Flu Outbreak
By Carol Wolf
April 26 (Bloomberg) -- CVS Caremark Corp. and Walgreen Co., the two largest U.S. drug-store chains, are gearing up for a possible wider outbreak of swine flu as the government declares a public health emergency.
CVS has ordered additional doses of Roche Holding AG’s antiviral drug Tamiflu for New York City, said Michael DeAngelis, a spokesman for the Woonsocket, Rhode Island based chain. CVS has a store across the street from the St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, where health officials have confirmed eight cases, he said.
“Since the outbreak, we’ve seen a marked increase in prescriptions for Tamiflu in the New York area,” DeAngelis said in a telephone interview today.
The preparations by the drug-store chains come after the U.S. confirmed 20 cases of swine flu, which has sickened 1,000 people in Mexico and is linked to the death of more than 80. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said stockpiles of drugs to treat patients will be made available.
CVS, which as 6,900 locations, was able to meet the surge in demand, DeAngelis said. The retailer has more than 25 stores in the Queens area, according to its Web site. CVS hasn’t seen a run on personal-hygiene products such as face masks and hand sanitizers, he said.
At Walgreen, purchasing managers are meeting this weekend with suppliers to ensure the Deerfield, Illinois-based company can meet a surge in demand for personal-hygiene products, said Michael Polzin, a company spokesman, in an interview.
Walgreen is coordinating its efforts with its in-store clinics, Polzin said. He didn’t know yet what role the clinics may play in fighting any outbreak. Walgreen has more than 6,700 stores.
Walgreen rose 24 cents to $29.24 on April 24 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have climbed 20 percent this year. CVS advanced 16 cents to $29.73 and has gained 3.4 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story: Carol Wolf in Washington at cwolf@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: April 26, 2009 17:53 EDT
News Headline:
WHO (World Health Organization) says swine flu virus could mutate to "more dangerous" strain
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/425104/1/.html
this is why i REFUSE to go to mexico.
i dont go to sfp but so many of my friends are sick i believe this.
Latest News Headline
Swine Flu Outbreak Rises to 28 Cases in New York City
http://www.1010wins.com/Mayor--NYC-Open-for-Business/4279566
If you are a current student at SFP or a parent of a student and would like to be interviewed for a NYC-based national daytime TV show about the swine flu, please write to me at QueensCrapper@gmail.com and I will send you the details.
Can one of you tell us which part of Mexico these students traveled to?
Thanks.
Cancun
TO QUEENS CRAPPER:
Regarding your soliciting SFP students and parents,
How do we know you are legit? Do you have a Work E-mail address to verify your identity?
Why do you want to know my identity? I am telling you to send me an e-mail and I will send you the name and phone number of the producer of the TV show that asked me to post this info. I don't give a hoot about your personal details.
To Queens Crapper
In that case, you can post the phone # and e-mail address of the TV producer for SFP students/parents to contact them directly.
Why risk the chance of getting Junk E-mail from unknown sources?
Can anyone tell me how the students are doing? Are any hospitalized? Are you parents planning on sending your non sick children to school on Wed if the school reopens?
LATEST NEWS HEADLINE
World Health Organization raises Swine Flu Pandemic to level 4
http://www.pro8news.com/news/local/43813027.html
I am not concerned about junk mail. People send me tips all the time, this is really not a big deal. If you feel uncomfortable simply sending me an e-mail then maybe national TV coverage isn't for you.
LATEST NEWS UPDATE
Swine Flu Hits Ernst & Young In Times Square
N.J. Department Of Health Confirms 5 Probable Cases
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/ernst.and.young.2.995887.html
I think this is a situation that should not be taken lightly. The Students that attend SFP who became ill, were in bad condition when they were sent home. I know people that go to that school and I have a friend who caught the virus. I guess people take it more seiously when something happens to their loved one(s).
Why do the parents of the kids who have symptoms of this allow their kids to go parading around the neighborhood and give interviews in front of the school? Yes this appears to be milder than what they are experiencing in Mexico but its still a nasty flu virus and easily spread so if you are sick or people in your family are sick please just stay home until you are sure you are all completely better.
LATEST NEWS UPDATE:
1) SFP announces on its website that the school is closed for the remainder of the week.
2) Two other schools in NYC may have swine flu outbreak. One school is P.S. 177 in Fresh Meadows, NY. The other school is the Ascension School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/possible-swine-flu-outbreaks-at-two-more-schools/
April 28, 2009, 2:25 pm
Possible Swine Flu Outbreaks at Two More Schools
By Sewell Chan AND Fernanda Santos
Seems like the only way to quell fire, is for the parents of the confirmed Queens cases and suspected cases- these parents should all stay home from work-and not risk infecting anyone at work or mass transit, because they could b e in the incubation stages. Do you think investigators should mandate this. I am sure employers would be understanding in light of these rare occurrence.
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