LONDON — A person with underlying health conditions died of swine flu in Scotland on Sunday — the first reported death from the illness outside the Americas, health officials said.
Britain has been hit harder by the virus — known as H1N1— than elsewhere in Europe. Earlier Sunday, Britain had reported another 61 cases of swine flu, bringing the U.K. total to 1,226 cases.
Now that swine flu has officially been declared a pandemic, health authorities expect to see more cases and deaths worldwide. The World Health Organization said last week that the virus has not become any more lethal but is now unstoppable.
So far, swine flu appears to be a relatively mild virus, and most people who get it do not need treatment to get better. About half the people who have died from swine flu have had other health conditions, including pregnancy, obesity, diabetes and asthma.
The Associated Press
