PALMA
THE Balearic government last night confirmed 14 new cases of swine flu in the region as the National Police, in cooperation with the Balearic health service, continued gathering information about the Nigerian woman who died from swine flu on Thursday and is rumoured to have been working in Calvia but lived in Palma.
The 33-year-old Nigerian, who claimed she was on holiday on the island, died at Palma's Son Llatzer Hospital after having been taken ill four days earlier while staying with friends in Majorca.
Tests analysed by Palma's Son Dureta Hospital have shown that she was carrying the AH1N1 flu virus but a second round of tests are being taken in Madrid to discover if the young woman had been suffering from any other illnesses.
However, the initial results of the autopsy carried out yesterday morning indicated that she did die from swine flu.
According to the Spanish Minister for Health, Trinidad Jimenez, because neither doctors here nor in Madrid have the Nigerian's medical history, until the results of the second tests are received, the exact cause of death can not be confirmed 100 percent. The total number of people to have died from swine flu in Spain now stands at four.
A 71-year-old man also died on Thursday in Madrid.
Yesterday, Balearic government spokeswoman, Joana Barcelo, said that the Balearics is totally prepared to handle any kind of health scare and stressed that the region is one of the safest holiday destinations in the world. We have a very good health service, we're a safe place and completely ready to confront this virus, she underlined.
She said that all of the region's medical centres are on full alert and that all of the region's medical personnel know what the procedure is in the event of a case of swine flu. Barcelo admitted that it is going to be hard to convince the public to remain calm but she said that the local government and health service are going to keep the general public fully informed of all developments related to the spread of the swine flu virus.