31 Jul 2009

Wellington nurse dies of swine flu

12:15 pm on 31 July 2009

Hutt Valley District Health Board has confirmed that a 39-year-old health worker has died of swine flu in Wellington Hospital.

The woman was a nurse in the children's ward at Hutt Hospital.

She is believed to be the first health worker to die of swine flu.

A board spokesperson says the hospital does not know how the woman contracted swine flu, but the hospital is confident it has taken every precaution possible to protect staff and patients against swine flu.

The woman reportedly had a miscarriage two months ago, but the board would not confirm that.

Pregnant women are at a higher risk of complications from the virus.

The Nurses Organisation says it has not had as many calls as expected from concerned health workers after the nurse's death - the 13th person to die of swine flu in New Zealand.