Fifth patient dies in connection with swine flu in Czech Republic

The man did not suffer demonstrably of any other disease Zelazko said.

The foreigner was hospitalised on November 10 and "his condition was very serious from then," Zelazko said.

He said another swine flu patient has been treated in the hospital.

"His condition si improving, but further development is difficult to predict," Zelazko said.

Four people including the one in Valasske Mezirici today have died of swine flu and one man who also suffered of swine flu died of leukaemia that was the primary cause of death in his case.

A total of 633 people in the ten million Czech Republic were demonstrably infected with swine flu as from Friday.

The first 95,000 swine flu vaccines are to start to be applied as from Monday. Another about 90,000 doses are to arrive in the country on December 4.

They will be given to patients with a health risk, health staff and people crucial for the state's functioning.

Antivirotic drugs will be ready for another 2.5 million people. The first Tamiflu medicine is available on prescription in Prague's Motol hospital pharmacies on Friday.

Chief sanitary officer Michael Vit expects a swine flu epidemic to erupt in the first week of December.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz