Critically ill NZ swine flu woman now stable

A morbidly obese woman critically ill with swine flu is slowly improving, with her condition now stable.

The 30-year-old Lower Hutt woman, in intensive care, was now in a critical but stable condition, a Wellington Hospital spokesman told NewstalkZB.

The woman was transferred to the hospital with the virus and a number of other underlying conditions last week.

Though New Zealand's most serious case of swine flu improved, the total number of confirmed infections continued to rise, up 31 from yesterday to 417.

A further 571 people were suspected of having the virus.

In Australia, three people had died from swine flu, with nearly 3000 confirmed infections.

Latest WHO figures state 238 people worldwide had died from the H1N1 pandemic, with 55,867 confirmed cases.

- NZPA