Serbia Reports First Swine Flu Death in 2011

Serbian health authorities on Tuesday reported the first death of swine flu caused by the H1N1 virus in the Balkans country this year.

"A first lethal case linked to the flu virus H1N1 was reported. It concerned a person born in 1968 and living in Banat (northern Serbia) who suffered from chronic cardiac illness," the Serbian national health institute said in a statement.

The institute added that currently 26 people were officially diagnosed as having swine flu with three among them in serious condition in hospital intensive care units.

Last week neighboring Montenegro reported its first swine flu death of this year and said seven people were infected.

Croatia has already had three people die of the H1N1 virus with some 300 people officially diagnosed with swine flu. Bosnia has reported two deaths and some 20 people in hospital with severe flu symptoms. In Albania 17 people are reportedly infected.