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Wikinews Shorts: May 11, 2009

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A compilation of brief news reports for Monday, May 11, 2009.

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United States reports third death from H1N1 swine flu


Image: Grochim.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Sunday that 2,532 confirmed cases of the H1H1 swine flu virus and three casualties have been reported in 44 states throughout the country. The figure was updated from Saturday's figures, which had the number of confirmed cases at 2,254, with 104 persons hospitalised.

Currently, the US is the country with the second number of fatalities from the virus. Mexico is first, with 48 confirmed deaths, while Canada and Costa Rica both have one death each from the flu.

Sources


Boston trolleys crash


Image: Adam E. Moreira.

Two trolleys collided in Boston, Massachusetts on the Green Line on Friday, causing the line to be shut down. About 50 people were hurt with minor cuts and bruises. One of the trolley's conductors was allegedly text messaging to his girlfriend at the time of the crash. The head of the city's transit authority has said he will ban bus drivers or conductors from carrying cell phones on board their vehicle.

"I want to remove any temptation by one or two people stupid enough to think a moment of convenience is worth the lives of the people they're transporting," said general manager Daniel Grabauskas. "I'm not going to wait for someone to die to institute a policy whose time I think has come."

Sources