The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has confirmed close to 600 South Africans have been infected with the H1N1 virus.

Health officials have appealed to South Africans to remain calm in the wake of a swine flu death.

On Monday, Western Cape health authorities confirmed the death of 22-year-old Stellenbosch University student Ruan Muller who died last week.

The institute will continue to conduct tests.

The institute?s Lucille Bloomberg said there was no cause for concern as mild swine flu cases were not any more dangerous than the normal flu virus.