WASHINGTON – A Washington state man with H1N1 influenza died last week, health officials said, the third US sufferer to die as the new flu strain confirmed in more than 2 200 Americans appeared in Japan and Australia.
Health officials have warned that the true number of cases may be underestimated. Although most cases appear to be mild, the new swine flu strain has killed just as seasonal flu does.
Another 48 people have died in Mexico and one each in Canada and Costa Rica.
Washington state officials said on Saturday a man in his 30s with underlying heart conditions died last week, state governor Chris Gregoire describing his death as ‘a sobering reminder that influenza is serious.’
The virus has moved into the southern hemisphere, where influenza season is just beginning, and could mix with circulating seasonal flu viruses or the H5N1 avian influenza virus to create new strains, health officials said.
– Nampa-Reuters
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