Czech Republic records apparent first swine flu death

The Czech Republic has seen what appears to be its first death caused by swine flu. A woman with a heart problem died on Thursday after evidently contracting the disease; her condition was already serious and the apparent swine flu caused fatal complications, said a spokesperson for the hospital in Karlovy Vary where the death occurred. A Ministry of Health spokesperson said further tests were needed before the diagnosis could be confirmed.

Another patient, a man aged around 30, is reported to be in a serious condition with apparent swine flu at the same hospital. He too was already suffering from serious health problems before evidently contracting the H1N1 virus. To date around 300 cases of the disease have been recorded in the Czech Republic.

Author: Ian Willoughby