Malaysian woman dies of swine flu

A 27-year-old Malaysian woman has died after contracting the swine flu virus A(H1N1), the country's first death from the virus this year, a health official said Thursday. The woman died on August 16 in Seremban town in the state of Negeri Sembilan, 56 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur, the state's Health Director Zailan Adnan said in a statement carried by Bernama news agency today. A post-mortem tested positive for the virus, he said. The victim fell ill while working in Singapore before returning to Malaysia for treatment, Zailan said. Health workers tested her family members but found none infected. Since a swine flu outbreak erupted in Malaysia in 2009, the country has reported over 2,000 cases with nearly 80 deaths. The influenza caused by the A(H1N1) virus is called swine flu because of its close relation to one that infects pigs. Symptoms are similar to ordinary flu. Transmission usually occurs through sneezing or coughing.