Serbian health authorities Tuesday reported the first death from swine flu caused by the H1N1 virus in the Balkans country this year.

“A first lethal case linked to the flu virus H1N1 was reported. It concerned a person born in 1968 and living in Banat [northern Serbia] who suffered from chronic cardiac illness,” the Serbian national health institute said in a statement.

The institute added that 26 people were officially diagnosed as having swine flu with three among them hospitalized in serious condition.

In neighboring Montenegro the main hospital in Podgorica reported its second swine flu death of this year Tuesday. The health authorities added that they have so far recorded some 100 people infected with the virus.

Croatia has already had three people die of the H1N1 virus with some 300 people officially diagnosed with swine flu.

Bosnia has reported two deaths and some 20 people in hospital with severe flu symptoms. In Albania 17 people are reportedly infected.
 
January 18, 2011
AFP

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