A 40-year-old man from Hamilton, Ohio in Butler County has died from the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus. The Ohio Department of Health says that it is the first death in the state related to this particular strain of flu.

The patient died on June 29, and the ODH says he had underlying health problems that may have contributed to his death. His infection was confirmed on Thursday in a ODH laboratory.

ODH Director Alvin D. Jackson, MD said:

“This is a sad, and not entirely unexpected, event as influenza and its complications cause some 3,000 deaths annually in Ohio, ranking it among the top 10 causes of death. We continue to urge Ohioans to take proper precautions and will monitor the situation closely.”

Worldwide, the World Health Organization says that over 300 people have died from the H1N1 virus. In the US, around 3,000 have been hospitalized and 127 have died.