Central Health CEO Karen McGrath confirmed Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, that another person in central Newfoundland had died from H1N1-related illness. (CBC) 

Health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador confirmed Monday that a fifth person in the province has died from swine flu-related illness.

Eastern Health said the woman, a 69-year-old from central Newfoundland, died late Sunday. A release from the health authority said the woman had other health problems that put her at risk of complications from the H1N1 virus.

Earlier in the day, Central Health CEO Karen McGrath confirmed a 48-year-old man died Sunday afternoon of complications from an H1N1 infection.

She said he was in hospital for several days being treated for influenza, and on a ventilator in the intensive care unit when he died. However, McGrath said the man was otherwise healthy.

"In this case, we do not know of any underlying [medical] conditions."

The latest death, the fifth in the province in little more than a week, is the fourth in central Newfoundland, and McGrath said that has prompted a review by the health authority.

According to health officials, the 48-year-old is the only one of the five who didn't have an underlying medical condition.

"We have contacted the Newfoundand Centre for Health Information and are going to work with some epidemiologists, so that's one thing we're doing," McGrath said.

Both McGrath and officials from Eastern Health offered condolences from the health authority and the staff who cared for the patients.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with this gentleman’s family and friends," McGrath said of the death of the 48-year-old.

Central Health isn't saying whether he died at the hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor or Gander.

The other deaths related to H1N1 include a 63-year-old woman who died at hospital in St. Anthony, on the Northern Peninsula, Saturday, and a woman, 36, and man, 40, who both died last week.