Samples from a man who died from suspected swine flu in Somerset West have been sent for testing, the SABC reported on Friday.

Vergelegen Medic Clinic spokesperson Stefan Smuts told the broadcaster that tests for the N1H1 virus were done in a private laboratory, "but we are waiting for a confirmation test done at the (National Institute for Communicable Diseases)... Yes, we are expecting swine flu as a possible cause for the patient's deterioration and eventual death," he said.

Johann Hack died on Tuesday at the hospital.

If the tests were positive he would be the country's second confirmed swine flu fatality.

Earlier in the day the health department said the death of a teenager in the Free State was from swine flu. However, according to the SABC, it has since emerged that while the 15-year-old had swine flu, he died of blood poisoning.

The teenager was admitted to Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein with pneumonia symptoms. Doctors confirmed he had swine flu but said the cause of death was blood poisoning.

On Wednesday, the health department said the recent death of a 44-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man could not conclusively be linked to swine flu. The man was initially thought to be the country's second swine flu fatality.

Until Friday, only the death of 22-year-old Stellenbosch University student Ruan Muller was directly linked to the A(H1N1) virus, based on laboratory confirmation by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

Swine flu was first recorded in South Africa in the middle of June. On August 3, the NICD put the number of cases in South Africa at 480.

Sapa

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