Second Influenza A/H1N1 Fatality Reported in Finland

Helsinki, November 4, 2009 -- The second influenza A/H1N1 related death was reported in Finland on Wednesday by health authorities.

The death, confirmed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, happened on Monday involving an eight-year-old girl in Tornio. This case come after the first death to the flu was confirmed in Finland on October 24.

So far, a total of 1,213 cases of the pandemic virus have been confirmed in the country but the real number of cases are estimated several times higher.

Cases have doubled since the past weeks as stated by the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare. Most of the cases belong to northern Finland but the south region cases are rapidly increasing.

Professor Ville Valtonen, head physician for infectious diseases at the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital District, stated that the virus has been spreading in the Uusimaa region in the south of Finland.

Around 600,000 doses of the vaccine have been given away around Finland.