Man with swine flu dies in Australia

ADELAIDE - A West Australian man suffering from swine flu has died in an Adelaide hospital, in the first death of a person with the virus in Australia.

However, South Australian health authorities have not yet confirmed that the man died from swine flu, as he had a number of serious health conditions.

The 26-year-old had been diagnosed with swine flu on Thursday, SA Health said.

SA Health said the man had been suffering from a number of serious health conditions and had been transferred from Alice Springs Hospital to the Royal Adelaide Hospital intensive care unit on Monday.

SA Health chief medical officer Paddy Phillips said the man had swine flu but said he was unable to confirm the cause of death at this stage.

"Although the patient was diagnosed as positive for swine flu yesterday, his other medical conditions had dramatically deteriorated by the time he got to Adelaide," Professor Phillips said.

The Royal Adelaide Hospital had taken all appropriate infection control procedures to limit the spread of the virus to other people, he said.

"Tragic though this case is, it is important to note that in the great majority of cases, swine flu causes a mild illness which people recover from without any medical intervention," he said.

Prof Phillips said the man's death would not yet be added to the list of casualties from swine flu.

SA Health had alerted national health authorities and the matter would be investigated further by SA Health, he said.

Prof Phillips said the Aboriginal man's family had been informed of his death.

- AAP