A 38-year old man from Bucharest has died from swine flu, this being the first death caused by this virus in Romania this year. The man hadn't got the flu vaccine, and his other illnesses led to complications and ultimately death, reports local Digi24.

The National Institute of Public Health’s reveals that 72 swine flu cases (infections with the AH1pdm09 influenza virus) have been confirmed in Romania since the start of the current flu season. The most cases have been detected in Bucharest (36), Constanta county (15), and Dambovita county (9).

More than 560,000 people received the flu vaccine so far, but the Health Ministry said that more people can be vaccinated. According to experts, the flu vaccine is the safest way to keep the swine flu away.

Although the flu activity was low-intensity last week, the situation has changed this week, reaching average intensity.

The swine flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, watery eyes, body aches, shortness of breath, headache, weight loss, dizziness, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and fatigue. Despite its name, the flu is not transmitted from pigs to humans, but from person to person through airborne droplets.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com