Young nurse is fourth to die from swine flu

ABU DHABI // A fourth person has died in the UAE from swine flu, health officials said yesterday. Two of the four fatalities have been young women in the late stages of pregnancy. The latest victim, a 26-year-old Indian nurse, died yesterday at Al Ain Hospital. A source on the National Committee for Combating Swine Flu said the woman was about eight months pregnant when she was admitted to hospital with breathing problems 10 days ago. Her baby had been delivered by caesarean section and was healthy.

Health officials are investigating the death this week of a woman in Sharjah who had suspected swine flu complications. The first in the UAE to die was a 63-year-old Indian man on August 18. A Pakistani woman died three weeks after doctors in Dubai delivered her baby by caesarean section because of complications caused by the H1N1 virus. A source said this week that the virus was now being transmitted locally, rather than just affecting people who had travelled abroad.

munderwood@thenational.ae