The first death from the H1N1 flu in the region has been reported from Guam.

According to the Marianas Variety, the death was reported on Monday where 'Guam officials disclosed that a 26-year-old Yigo woman died last week at the Guam Memorial Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for the H1N1 virus three days prior to her death'.

According to Dr. Annakuty Matthew, medical director at Guam's public health agency, the Yigo woman was vulnerable to the H1N1 virus because of a pre-existing medical condition. The doctor could not say what that condition was, but reported that the official cause of death was listed as pneumonia.

Dr. Tony Stupski, director of community health centers at DPHSS, explained the week-old death was only reported now because it took seven days for H1N1 test results to come back from off-island.

Guam's public health officials say that there were now 16 confirmed incidents of swine flu on Guam, including the woman who died. Of the 15 remaining cases, 10 have fully recovered while the other five are still being treated.


Meanwhile, the highest number of cases recorded in the region is Fiji which had a total of 97 cases last week.
According to Fiji Times Online, the 97 have recovered with no new cases reported as yet.

The A(H1N1) flu or Swine Flu is now no longer a traveler's disease as it was considered before and is now being spread locally in countries in the region through person to person contact.