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Pinellas confirms flu death

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TBO.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 11, 2009

Pinellas County has its first official swine flu-related death.

The patient was a 36-year-old man and, as with many of the swine flu fatalities, had an underlying health condition. The health department learned Monday he had tested positive for swine flu, but it has released few other details, including his name or when he died, because of patient privacy concerns.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to family and friends for their loss," said Claude Dharamraj, Pinellas County Health Department director, in a statement.

Florida had 41 laboratory-confirmed deaths attributed to the swine flu virus as of Wednesday. That number has been increasing in the last few weeks. The state had 31 confirmed deaths as of July 26.

So far, four swine flu deaths - including two last week - in Hillsborough County have been confirmed.

For information about the swine flu virus, go to www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, the Pinellas County Health Department's Web site at www.pinellashealth.com, or call the county's swine flu information line at 727-824-6964 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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