Pregnant teenager dies from swine flu
Pregnant teenager in Scotland dies after contracting swine flu
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By Matthew Champion. |  |
Thursday, 15, Oct 2009 01:31
By Richard James.
A pregnant teenager in Scotland has died after contracting swine flu, health officials have confirmed.
The unnamed 17-year-old girl passed away at some stage in the last 24 hours although very few details have so far been released.
Scotland's health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the girl's death was "deeply saddening" and sent her condolences to the teenager's family.
Health experts claim pregnant woman are at greater risk of complications from the H1N1 virus.
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Women at any stage of pregnancy are to be prioritised when the swine flu vaccine in finally available later this month.
Ms Sturgeon urged all pregnant women to receive the vaccination.
"While there is no evidence to suggest that the virus is becoming any more dangerous for the public at large, this tragic death highlights that some groups are at greater risk and should take up the offer of vaccination," she said.
The Health Protection Agency released figures this afternoon showing almsot 30,000 people contracted swine flu in England during the last seven days.