11,000+ swine flu infections in SA

Forty-seven people had died from swine flu in South Africa by Monday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Tuesday.

There had also been 11,253 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness caused by the (A) H1N1 virus.

Of the people who died, 20 were pregnant women, five of whom were HIV-positive.

Underlying conditions identified for the 27 other people included obesity and diabetes, which accounted for most of the fatalities, followed by HIV/Aids and hypertension.

"In the majority of persons without any underlying conditions the illness remains mild and self-limiting," the institute said. – (Sapa, September 2009)

Read more:
Swine flu timeline
Swine flu world map