The number of deaths linked to Influenza A/H1N1 in New Zealand this winter has risen to nine with the three latest deaths confirmed this week, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Health on Thursday.

The ministry said that another 454 people have been hospitalised due to Influenza flu with 67 of those admitted to intensive care.

GPs are also continuing to see increasing numbers of people with flu-like illnesses with a notable increase among pre- schoolers in the past week.

One of the three new deaths, a 53-year-old man, who died in Waikato Hospital this week, had no other health issues.

The other two deaths are a 29-year-old Auckland man and a 57 year-old man at North Shore. Both of them had underlying medical conditions.

As of Thursday morning, 14 people were in intensive care with H1N1. There had been 454 swine flu hospitalisations this year, including 67 people who were admitted to intensive care units.

Last year, 35 deaths were linked to Influenza A/H1N1.

Source:Xinhua