A/H1N1 death toll now 44 in Beijing

The total number of deaths from A/H1N1 influenza in Beijing has risen to 44 with 16 new fatalities in the past week, the Health Bureau said on Monday.

The number of new confirmed cases of the flu now stands at 503 with 96 requiring treatment in hospital and 16 fatalities, the Beijing Health Bureau reported on its website for the period November 30 to December 6.

That brings the total number of reported cases in Beijing to 9,708. The number of patients requiring hospital treatment now stands at 3,408.

"The A/H1N1 flu doesn't incur more death toll in Beijing compared with the same period before, based on the statistics analysis on past three years' death registration," said Deng Xiaohong, the spokesman with the Beijing Health Bureau.

An average of 60,000 to 70,000 people died every year in Beijing, over the past three years. Many lost lives due to circulatory and respiratory diseases during fall and winter, and most above the age of 65 with underlying diseases, the report said.