Serbia Sees Second Swine Flu Fatality

Serbian health authorities have registered a second fatality from the swine flu influenza in a 32-year-old woman from the town of Krusevac.

The woman, who was taken ill on 28 October, was admitted to a hospital in Krusevac Tuesday morning with a high temperature, chest pains and breathing problems. As her condition increasingly deteriorated the hospital decided to transport her to Belgrade. She died of severe pneumonia while being transported to the Belgrade hospital.

Health officials have recorded 183 cases of H1N1 so far. When the first fatality occurred, a member of the working group established to fight the pandemic, epidemiologist Branislav Tiodorovic, said that there was no need for panic but stressed that the situation should be taken seriously.

As the number of infected rapidly rises, Serbian Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic announced on Tuesday that the government has provided additional funds to purchase three million doses of vaccine against the flu. "Vaccination is the best way of prevention", he added.

The minister also said that he does not want to be held responsible if a citizen chooses not to be vaccinated.

In order to prevent the spread of the virus, Serbian Education Minister Zarko Obradovic announced on Tuesday that the autumn break for elementary and high school students will be extended until 10 November. He did not exclude the possibility for schools to be closed for a longer period in the case of a larger epidemic.

Visits to most of the hospitals and maternity hospitals are not allowed due to the increasing number of new cases of the influenza. Sales of protective masks have also increased. Mirko Kovacevic from the company for making protective masks, 'Septembar 9' from Gornji Milanovac, told broadcaster RTS that the company operates in two shifts per day and produces between 55,000 and 60,000 masks. Production of protective masks will soon be doubled, he said.

For more information, please see: Timeline: Swine Flu in the Balkans, Update