NY officials test students for swine flu -report

NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - Health officials are investigating what sickened scores of students at a New York City school to determine whether a deadly swine flu virus infecting people in Mexico and elsewhere in the United States was responsible, New York media reported late on Friday.

As many as 75 students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens became sick with flu-like symptoms on Thursday, and more fell ill on Friday, WCBS television reported. Health officials had tested the students and were investigating, and the school canceled its Friday evening programs.

A strain of flu never seen before has killed up to 68 people in Mexico and infected eight people in California and Texas, who have recovered, according to health officials.

All the symptoms of the New York patients were reported as mild.

"It could be a strain we've seen before. It could be the regular flu," Dr. Don Weiss of the New York City Department of Health said. "It could be flu B that happens late in the year ... We really can't speculate at this point," Weiss added. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Mohammad Zargham)