18 Aug 2009

French tests invalidate Tahiti swine flu death report

9:32 am on 18 August 2009

French health authorities say their tests cannot confirm a report from French Polynesia that a 24-year-old woman who died last week was the victim of swine flu.

The death was reported in Tahiti where a statement said she had been an at-risk patient because of her medical history.

But further tests in Paris have not been able to corroborate the findings.

The French authorities say the case is still being studied.

As of last weekend, 53 people in French Polynesia had been confirmed with swine flu.