Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSFirst Welsh patient dies from swine flu
A 55-year-old woman has become the first person to die from swine flu in Wales.
The Welsh assembly has confirmed that the woman, from Caerphilly County Borough, was admitted to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, on 2 August with flu-like symptoms.
She tested positive for swine flu and received a course of antivirals. However, her condition is understood to have deteriorated and she was transferred to the ICU at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff on 6 August with cardiac-related problems.
She died on 15 August following further circulatory complications. At the family’s request, no further details will be released.
Welsh health minister Edwina Hart said: “This is the first swine flu-related death in Wales and I would like to send my condolences to the family and friends of the woman at this difficult time.
“Tragic though this is for the family and friends, we are not seeing an increase in rates of cases, compared to normal seasonal flu, where we see a number of serious cases and deaths each year,” she said.
There have been more than 50 swine flu-related deaths in the UK since this flu pandemic arose in April.
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