NZ reports 15 swine flu deaths as toll rises

Five people have died from swine flu in the past three days in New Zealand, bringing the country's death toll this season to 15, an official said Thursday.

Although the World Health Organization announced on Aug. 10 that the H1N1 swine flu virus has moved into a post-pandemic period, New Zealand's winter has seen a second wave of the disease.

New Zealand Director of Public Health Mark Jacobs said 583 people have been sickened so far this year, including 13 who are currently in intensive care. Most fatalities had underlying medical conditions that likely contributed to their deaths, he said.

In April 2009, New Zealand became the first country in the Asia-South Pacific region to record an outbreak of the virus that became a worldwide pandemic last year.

After that initial infection, thousands of New Zealanders developed swine flu, though it turned out to be less deadly than first feared, with the health ministry reporting a total of 35 deaths last year.

New Zealand has carried out a national program of antiviral vaccinations since December 2009.