Woman dies of swine flu complications

A 24-year-old woman died in Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya yesterday from complications stemming from swine flu, the Health Ministry said.

Dr. Masad Barhoum, the director of the hospital, told Haaretz that the young woman, Jihan Musa from Ma'alot-Tarshiha, arrived over the weekend and after preliminary treatment in the emergency room, was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and put in intensive care.

The ministry's central virus lab at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer said the woman was indeed infected with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. Musa went to the clinic in Ma'alot Tarshiha a week ago yesterday with a high fever, was given antibiotics and sent home. On Friday she went to the emergency room in Nahariya and complained of difficulty breathing and chest pains. Her X-rays showed she had pneumonia.

Her family was surprised at the news that she had died of complications from swine flu. They said no official had told them about the disease and they only learned of the swine flu diagnosis from the media.

"We don't know how we should act about the case and what to do," said her cousin Mundar Musa. Barhoum said the hospital and staff were not given any special directions even after the ministry confirmed the swine flu diagnosis.

The Israel Center for Disease Control reported yesterday on a steep rise in the number of Israelis suspected of being infected with the H1N1 virus. The ICDC recently decided to renew operations of its Unit for Monitoring Unusual Morbidity and Influenza, which usually only functions during the winter flu season.

Some 920 Israelis complained last week of symptoms similar to swine flu, and are suspected of being infected. The 30% rise can be partially explained by the expansion of the definition of suspected cases.

This was the second death from the virus, the first coming last week in Eilat when Shimon Azran, 35, died. The cause of his death is still being examined by the Clalit health maintenance organization, which owns the Yoseftal Medical Center in Eilat where he died.