A man who died of suspected swine flu may be New Zealand's first swine flu victim who did not have any other health problems.
Stephen Russell Lavelle, a 27-year-old electrician from Invercargill, died of suspected swine flu on Friday.
The Sunday Star Times reported Mr Lavelle was flown to Auckland Hospital last week and died early on Friday.
The Ministry of Health was yesterday working to confirm whether Mr Lavelle died of swine flu, and whether he had any other health problems.
Spokesman Peter Abernethy said this should be confirmed in the next few days.
One of Mr Lavelle's relatives wrote on a TradeMe message board that he was struck down by swine flu despite having no other medical problems.
She wrote Mr Lavelle was a healthy person who had not even caught a cold this winter.
Fourteen people have been confirmed to have died from swine-flu since it hit New Zealand 12 weeks ago .
