A healthy 14-year-old girl died this week from swine flu, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
This is the first reported death in the Netherlands from the H1N1 virus in someone without pre-existing serious illnesses. The RIVM notes that healthy individuals have also died from Mexican flu in other countries.
The RIVM spokesperson declined to share details on the 14-year-old girl's illness progression, as the institute avoids discussing individual cases. Last week, a 40-year-old man also died from swine flu after being seriously ill.
The total number of swine flu deaths in the country has now reached six.
Influenza Epidemic
The Netherlands is experiencing an official swine flu epidemic, as confirmed by the RIVM. This determination follows general practitioners reporting more than 55 flu-like cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks.
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