Two swine flu patients died in Vietnam on the weekend, raising the country’s fatalities linked to the global epidemic to nine since it emerged in May.

Dr. Cao Minh Toan, deputy director of the provincial health department, says the 46-year-old woman was transferred to Dak Lak General Hospital, where she tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus on Saturday.

Thao, who had undergone heart surgery two years ago and received treatment for mastoid bone inflammation several days before, succumbed to respiratory failure on Sunday morning.

The other swine flu fatality was a 42-year-old in the southern province of Binh Phuoc, who was admitted to the local hospital on Friday after three days of home treatment for fever, coughing and diarrhea.

The patient died of critical pneumonia on Saturday.

Dr. To Duc Sinh, director of the Binh Phuoc Preventive Health Center, says a test the following day confirmed it was another case of swine flu.

The Ministry of Health is investigating the latest deaths before making an official pronouncement of their cause.

The ministry’s recent check of H1N1-related deaths shows that the victims were admitted to hospital rather late and only given Tamiflu around six days after falling sick.

Also on Sunday, Vietnam reported 282 new cases of H1N1 infection, taking the national tally to 6,760 since May.

Source: Thanh Nien, VNA