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Oregon reports 1st H1N1 flu death

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-09 13:28

HOUSTON -- Oregon state health officials on Monday reported the first death of A(H1N1) flu in the west Pacific state.

The victim was a woman in Marion County who died on Sunday, the first Oregonian to die of the infection, according to a press release from the state, quoted by local reports on Monday.

A US Navy officer stands outside a stadium gate where patients with symptoms of the influenza AH1N1 virus are being treated in Colon City, May 28, 2009. [Agencies]

Officials are not releasing the woman's name, only said that she had been hospitalized for eight days before her death, and suffered "multiple underlying health conditions."

Full Coverage:  A(H1N1) Influenza Outbreak Related readings:  As swine flu wanes, U.S. preparing for second wave  US Navy reports 106 H1N1 flu cases  Egypt reports first A(H1N1) flu case  WHO praises China's 'robust response' to flu  Australia flu cases double overnight to 66

They stressed the death does not change the recommended precautions for limiting the spread of the A(H1N1) flu because nothing indicates this strain is more deadly than garden-variety flu.

The public is still advised to wash their hands frequently, to cough or sneeze into an elbow or tissue rather than a hand and to stay home if sick, they added.

On Friday, federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 168 confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) flu in 13 counties in the state of Oregan, among which Multnomah and Polk are two  hardest - hit counties, with 50 and 41 confirmed cases respectively.

The A(H1N1) flu has spread to 73 countries with 25,288 people confirmed with the virus including 13,217 in the United States, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.

The number of deaths rose to 139 worldwide, including 27 in the US, according to the figures released by WHO on Monday and by CDC on Friday.

Local US health officials believe that both the numbers of confirmed cases and the death toll would be much higher if newly-confirmed deaths and cases during the past three days are included in the CDC list.