Via The West Australian :
" Two West Australians have died from swine flu this winter, health authorities have confirmed.
The Health Department said yesterday it was aware of two deaths linked to the influenza virus this year and both patients were infected with the pandemic A/H1N1 2009 strain and had underlying risks.
Sources told The West Australian that a woman died in a metropolitan tertiary hospital this week from swine flu, but the department said it could not release more information about the deaths.
Twenty-seven West Australians died from swine flu in last year's pandemic season.
The department's acting director of communicable disease control, Gary Dowse, said this year's flu season had arrived late but there had been an increase in activity in the past few weeks.
There been a rise in laboratory-confirmed cases and people attending GPs and hospital emergency departments with flu-like illnesses. Other viruses that cause cough and cold illnesses were also circulating in the community.
Dr Dowse said the late arrival of the flu season this year meant there was still time for people to be vaccinated against the flu.
This year's seasonal influenza vaccine protected against the swine flu strain, as well as two other strains of the virus.
The free Panvax vaccine was also available to people of all ages and protected against swine flu."
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