Montgomery, AL – State health officials say a woman in her 50s in Dale County in southeast Alabama has died as a result of swine flu.
Alabama Department of Public Health officials said Thursday there have now been a total of eight deaths in Alabama attributed to the virus.
Officials said the death shows the need for Alabama residents to take precautions such as washing hands to prevent the spread of the virus and to be immunized for both seasonal and H1N1 influenza when vaccine becomes available.
The H1N1 virus is expected to be available in October.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)