A girl suffering underlying health problems has died after contracting H1N1, a hospital said yesterday, the third virus-related death in Britain.
The girl, who media reports said was nine-years-old, had swine flu at the time of death, Birmingham Children’s Hospital said.
Europe’s first death from H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, occurred in Scotland on June 14th.
Britain’s second H1N1 death, a 73-year-old man, with serious previous health problems, occurred in a Scottish hospital on Saturday.
A further 1,600 cases were confirmed by the British health ministry yesterday, bringing the total to almost 6,000.
The vast majority of cases are, in general, showing mild symptoms, “but are proving to be severe in a small minority of cases”, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, scientists have established the first case of the new H1N1 influenza strain showing resistance to Tamiflu, the main antiviral flu drug, Danish officials and the manufacturer said yesterday.
“While receiving the drug, the patient appeared to develop resistance to it,” said David Reddy, Roche Holding AG’s pandemic taskforce leader, regarding a case observed in Denmark. “This is the first report we have of it in H1N1.”
Common seasonal flu can resist Tamiflu and Mr Reddy said a case of resistance in H1N1 was not unexpected. Roche had been working on strategies to counter such a development.
The World Health Organisation had advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable new flu virus. The WHO had no immediate comment on the case of Tamiflu resistance.
“The person is well now and no further contagion with the resistent virus has been detected,” said Denmark’s State Serum Institute.
This case does not change the recommendation to use Tamiflu, the institute said. – (Reuters)