Swine flu kills 21 but outbreak unlikely to be as deadly this year

Swine flu has killed at least 21 people this year on the mainland, where it has become the predominant strain of the virus. Still, it is unlikely to have the same impact as in 2009, when more than 600 people died, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.

After 18 weeks in which no severe cases of swine flu were reported, the virus came back strongly at the end of last year, with 129 severe cases nationwide between the end of December and Tuesday.

Twenty deaths had been recorded this year, Shu Yuelong, deputy director of the CDC's Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, told Health News, a newspaper run by the Ministry of Health. The deaths occurred in nine provinces and cities, although no detailed breakdown was given.

Another death was reported in Shenzhen on Wednesday, Guangdong's health department said. The patient, a 55-year-old man, fell ill on January 13 and received treatment at Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital. Laboratory tests confirmed he was suffering from swine flu.

Guandong's health department said the province had seven other serious cases, including one in critical condition, but the number was lower than at the same time last year.

Shu predicted there would be more acute cases of swine flu and deaths, but said the pandemic would not be as severe as the one in 2009.