The 46-year-old man was hospitalized on March 28 in critical condition. He was in severe respiratory distress, with his two lungs totally damaged.

Despite respiratory machine and Tamiflu support, the disease deteriorated rapidly and the patient passed away on March 30.

His blood samples later proved positive for H1N1 virus (type A) – a strain that caused a global swine flu pandemic in 2009 and killed more than 50 people in Vietnam alone.  

Dr Nguyen Trung Cap, Deputy Head of the Hospital’s Emergency Unit, said that the patient should have been admitted to the hospital shortly after having breathing difficulty to receive Tamiflu treatment and get more opportunity for recovery.

At a recent meeting to cope with the existing H7N9 avian influenza which is spreading in China, Ministry of Health experts warned about the recurrence of strain H1N1.

Dr Nguyen Hong Ha, Deputy Head of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, advised people to keep their eyes open on other deadly strains of flu virus in Vietnam.

Ha warned those who have such symptoms as high temperatures, cough, headache and breathing difficulty should go to nearby healthcare centres or hospitals for medical checkups.

People, especially children, pregnant women and the elderly, should ensure personal hygiene and cooking safety to prevent flu-related diseases, he added.

VOV