The authorities in Scotland have announced that a patient has died as a result of being infected with Mexican flu. The victim had other health problems and was the first person in Europe to die of the disease.

Globally, about 30,000 people have been infected with the H1N1 flu virus and more than 140 of them have died as a result. Up to now, all the deaths have been in North and South America.

In Europe, over 2000 people have contracted Mexican flu. On Thursday, the World Health Organisation declared that the flu outbreak was a global pandemic.

photo: epa