November 6, 2009 Maine records second H1N1 (swine) flu death

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine health officials are reporting the state's first swine flu death since August.

The state Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday a young man from Penobscot County has died. CDC Director Dora Anne Mills says the victim, who was between 18 and 25 years old, had serious underlying medical conditions.

Mills says that most people who get H1N1 have had a relatively mild infection. But the recent death shows how severe influenza can be, especially in those with underlying conditions, pregnant women and children.

The CDC says the young man died earlier this week at home, and was not attending a local college or university. His name and the date of his death are not being released to help protect the privacy of the family.