Hi °C | Lo °C A patient suffering from swine flu has died in hospital, the Scottish Government said last night.
The patient had underlying health conditions and was one one of 10 people being treated in hospital in Scotland.
It is the first death in the UK of someone confirmed as having swine flu.
A statement released by the Scottish Government said last night: "With regret, we can confirm that one of the patients who had been in hospital, and had been confirmed as suffering from the H1N1 virus, has died today.
"The patient had underlying health conditions."
The statement added that, at the family’s request, no further details would be released last night to allow the family some time to come to terms with their loss.
The hospital where the patient died has not been revealed but it is understood to be the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government would not confirm the gender of the person who died, nor their age, at this stage.
More information is expected to become available today.
Figures released earlier revealed that nearly 500 Scots have now been confirmed as having swine flu.
Thirty-five new cases were confirmed in Scotland today, taking the total number to 498, officials said.
A further 61 cases of swine flu were confirmed in England yesterday, bringing the UK total to 1,226, health officials said.
There have now been 752 cases confirmed in England, 463 in Scotland, eight in Northern Ireland and three in Wales.
