Teen with swine flu dies in North

A disabled child with swine flu has died in the North, it emerged tonight.

Orla O’Kane, 14, took ill last Sunday evening and was rushed to Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

But SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey said the teenager’s family only learned she had tested positive for swine flu yesterday – two days after she was buried.

Mr Ramsey said the family was particularly distressed at the delay in hearing the news because a brother of the deceased had now contracted the virus.

“I understand the Department of Health knew on Thursday – the parents should have been the first port of call to protect themselves and others around them,” he said.

“Clearly, the family would have handled the wake and funeral arrangements very differently if this had been confirmed in good time.”

The MLA for Foyle said he intended to raise the issue with the North's Health Minister Michael McGimpsey after meeting with officials to discuss the issue.

The teenager’s death was the fifth related to swine flu in the North.

Earlier this month a 12-year-old boy died in the Ulster Hospital at Dundonald on the eastern outskirts of Belfast – less than 48 hours after it was announced a toddler under the age of three died in the south east of the province.

A baby died in September but a pre-existing heart condition was determined as the cause of death.

In August the mother of two young children died. She had been fighting cancer for five years.

A soldier from Derry, who was based in the south of England, also contracted the virus and died in Surrey at the end of July.