Second NI child dies from swine flu

A 12-year-old boy has become second youngster to die from swine flu in the North in less than 48 hours.

A 12-year-old boy has become second youngster to die from swine flu in the North in less than 48 hours.

The boy died in the Ulster Hospital at Dundonald on the eastern outskirts of Belfast. The North's health department said the boy had a “serious underlying medical condition” but would not elaborate.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, who conceded there was now a high level of swine flu in Northern Ireland, said: “It is very sad when a child dies and my thoughts and sympathies are with the family. I would ask everyone to respect the privacy of the family at this very sad time.”

Hugh McCaughey, chief executive of the South Eastern HSC Trust, which runs the Ulster Hospital, said: “Our thoughts at this time are with the boy’s family.

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“We should also not forget our staff who have cared for him on a regular basis during his many hospital visits.” The boy’s death was the fourth related to swine flu in Northern Ireland.

Yesterday it was announced a toddler under the age of three had died on Tuesday after contracting the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The fatalities bring the number of deaths from swine flu in the North to four.

In August the mother of two young children died. She had been fighting cancer for five years. A soldier from Co Derry, who was based in the south of England, also contracted the virus and died in Surrey at the end of July.

Last week the Department of Health here confirmed two women had died the previous week after contracting the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The women, both adults from the west and east of the country, had underlying medical conditions and most likely contracted the virus in the community.

The fatalities bring the number of deaths from swine flu in the Republic to four also.