First British swine flu death without other issues: official

First British swine flu death without other issues: official

by Staff Writers
London (AFP) July 10, 2009
A patient at a hospital in southeast England has become the first person in Britain without underlying health problems to die from swine flu, officials said Friday. The patient died at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital in Essex, health authorities said, adding the individual's family had requested that no further details be released.
"The patient had no underlying health conditions," said a statement from NHS (National Health Service) East of England.
"This case tragically underlines that, although the virus is proving generally mild in most people, it is more severe in some cases.
"As with all flu-like viruses, some people are at higher risk than others. Unfortunately, people who are otherwise healthy could also become seriously ill or, sadly, die."
Fourteen other people have died in Britain after contracting swine flu, but they all had underlying health problems.
Although the nature of these conditions has not been revealed, Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson has said people who suffer breathing problems or are clinically obese are at high risk.
The government said Wednesday that 9,718 cases of swine flu had been confirmed in Britain since the disease reached the country in late April.
It said last week that Britain could soon face more than 100,000 cases a day if the current rate of infection is maintained.
Health officials have abandoned efforts to contain the virus, given the high number of cases, and have switched to focusing on treating infected people who fall into a high-risk group.
People who present the symptoms of swine flu are now given antiviral drugs without laboratory testing to confirm the presence of the virus.
More than 98,000 cases of swine flu, including over 440 deaths, have occurred since the outbreak began in Mexico at the end of March, according to the World Health Organisation.
earlier related report