Swine flu has claimed its first victim in Gauteng, bringing to seven the number of deaths across the country, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said Annique Pretorius died in a Pretoria hospital on Monday after going into respiratory distress.

Swabs taken when she was in hospital were on Wednesday confirmed to contain the H1N1 virus.

"Yes, it is the first reported case in Gauteng," Shabalala said.

She said Pretorius was first admitted to hospital with tonsillitis on 8 August.

After three days she was discharged but returned to the hospital in Pretoria West the same night with a fever that would not break.

Doctors then decided to test for the virus and Pretorius was transferred to Kalafong Hospital.

"She was then put in the intensive care unit where she went into severe respiratory distress and then she unfortunately after two days passed away," said Shabalala.

To date, there have been 3485 confirmed cases of swine flu across the country.

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