The Health Department and Stellenbosch University have called for calm following the first swine flu death in South Africa.

Ruan Muller ? a student at the university ? died after contracting the H1N1 virus.

University Rector Russell Botman said he had spoken to Muller's family.

"Our deepest regret and our support to the family and we will continue to support the family, we have been in touch with the family today after we received the results after it was confirmed this morning."

The department said Muller received extensive treatment before he passed away last week.

"He was seen by a general practitioner and was admitted to hospital with pneumonia. He suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away regrettably on 28 July," said the department?s Fidel Hadebe.

Meanwhile, the Director of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases Professor Barry Schoub said swine flu was no worse than the current bout of seasonal flu but said other underlying medical problems could influence a person's reaction to the virus.

"Whether fatal cases either worldwide or in this particular case (have seen) an underlying condition, unfortunately we don't know. But in most cases there have been underlying conditions."