China records first A1/H1N1 patient death

A woman diagnosed with the A1/H1N1 virus has reportedly died in Zhejiang on Wednesday amid reports of the first mass infection in Beijing.

The 34-year-old woman was found dead in the lavatory of a Hangzhou hospital. Her death is being labeled “accidental” by municipal health authorities pending investigation into the cause of death.

Liang Wannian, vice director of the emergency office of the Health Ministry, also warned about the possibility of increased infection in autumn and winter.

Liang said that as the number of infected people increases, so does the possibility of infection among medical workers and high-risk groups such as pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.

In related news, Beijing reported its first case of mass infection after seven pupils from the Nanhu Zhongyuan Primary School in Beijing's Chaoyang district were confirmed to have the A1/H1N1 virus.

Authorities have closed the school where nine other pupils were reported to have fever. They have also put 154 teachers, pupils and parents who had contact with the infected pupils under observation.

The rising incidence of A1/H1N1 infection has prompted authorities to rethink their approach towards containing the virus, the Wall Street Journal said. Provincial health authorities not take a case-to-case basis approach to handle the situation.

Statistics from the health ministry show that the total number of infected people in China has risen to 867. The first A1/H1N1 vaccines in the country will be available beginning September.