Russia confirms four swine flu deaths

Russia has for the first time confirmed four cases of swine flu deaths since the deadly disease developed into a global epidemic this year.

Russian health officials said that three of the deaths occurred in the country's far eastern Zabaikalsky region, while the fourth person died in the capital Moscow.

"According to information from the Zabaikalsky region health ministry, as of October 27, 2009 there have been three fatalities in the region attributed to the A (H1N1) virus," Russia's federal health ministry said in a statement.

Two women died with a preliminary diagnosis of swine flu, while a third woman died of a severe cold-like illness, the Zabaikalsky regional government said in a statement.

According to the statement, one of the swine flu victims was in the late stages of pregnancy and doctors were unable to save her fetus.

The Interfax news agency reported that a 53-year-old Moscow woman also died of swine flu on Tuesday morning.

"At 9:45 am on October 27... the death of the sick woman was registered," the health department of the city government was quoted as saying.

The country's health ministry has so far recorded 1,349 confirmed cases of swine flu.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 5,000 people have lost their lives from swine flu infections worldwide since April, when an outbreak was first reported in Mexico.