N.W.T. death not from swine flu: coroner

A Fort Simpson, N.W.T., man who died of flu-like symptoms last week did not have swine flu as previously suspected, the territory's chief coroner confirmed Thursday.

Garth Eggenberger told CBC News that preliminary test results came in this week that showed the man did not have the H1N1 influenza A virus.

The man died Sept. 9 from what health officials described as severe flu-like symptoms, so a swab from the deceased was sent to a laboratory in Alberta.

"The symptoms that he displayed were similar to H1N1 [influenza] or to the annual flu," Eggenberger said Thursday.

"He had flu-like symptoms, and that's where maybe the confusion arose, but it was not the H1N1 flu that he died from."

Earlier this week, the territorial Health Department would not confirm the test results, citing patient confidentiality.

At the time,a department spokesman would only say there are no deaths from the H1N1 virus in the N.W.T. to date and that the department was no longer awaiting test results.

Eggenberger said further tests will determine the specific cause of the man's death.