Dead German tourist died of pneumonia and common flu : Thai Health Ministry

Mrs Barbel Wilhelmine, 65, died on May 18 after developing high fever. The tourist who died of flu-like symptoms on Monday was initially tested positive for H1N1 at a lab in Bangkok, but authorities are awaiting further tests before confirming whether she had Influenza A(H1N1).

Manit told a press conference that the tourist had lung infection and his ministry would examine further what caused the lung infection.

Earlier Pol Lt  Somyot Deemak, head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, said his laboratory had detected H1N1 in the woman's sample.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Health Paijit Warajit said Wilhelmine arrived in Thailand on May 12 with her husband, and their child. She showed no flu symptoms.

They then drove to a Hua Hin resort, Prachuab Khiri Khan. They stayed in a hotel for about a week before having chest pains and breathing difficulties on May 18.

Her husband alerted hotel staff who sent her to San Paolo Hua Hin Hospital. The German stopped breathing on her way to the hospital, but the paramedics used CPR to revive her.

The hospital then referred her case to Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok, but she died on the way, in Samut Sakhon province, on May 18.

On Saturday, she was admitted to Hua Hin Hospital, suffering from a pneumonia and fever. She died Monday night, Paichit said.

Her body was sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok for autopsy to determine if she was infected with H1N1.

Thailand has reported two confirmed cases of the influenza 2009. Both Thai nationals who had recently visited Mexico. Both fully recovered after receiving anti-influenza drugs.

There are eight other people still in quarantine at Thai hospitals under observation for suspected swine flu.

Thailand has imposed a host of preventative measures against the spread of H1N1, including the use of heat-seeking devices at the country's main international airports to detect arrivals suffering from fever.