A Seattle resident who had underlying health conditions died on June 11 from complications of H1N1 influenza (swine flu), the first reported H1N1 death in King County.

The man was in his 70s and had been hospitalized at the time of death. Tests from the state lab confirmed H1N1 virus.

“This death is a tragic development, and our hearts go out to the family,” said Dr. David Fleming, director and health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “H1N1 flu can have very serious consequences, and we continue to closely monitor the disease. Since we are seeing a declining number of new, serious infections, we are now intensively planning and preparing for the anticipated return of the virus in the fall.”

The death comes as the World Health Organization has declared a swine flu pandemic. In response, Public Health indicated it plans to continue its same approach to tackling swine flu (H1N1).

“Their announcement of a global pandemic shows that it has spread around the world,” said Matias Valenzuela, public information officer for Seattle-King County Public Health, in a phone interview days before the death was announced.

At this point Public Health’s surveillance is focusing exclusively on hospitalized patients, and the number of reported cases reflects a small proportion of all cases.

H1N1 virus has caused a disproportionate number of cases and hospitalizations in younger people, with 57 percent of the cases nationally among people aged 5-25 years of age, according to the health department. Forty-one percent of the hospitalizations are also among this age group.