Swine flu claims fourth victim

Authorities on Thursday identified a fourth person who has fallen victim to swine flu in Switzerland.

A 45-year-old man from the canton of Obwald died on the weekend for reasons not initially made public. An autopsy uncovered evidence that the man was carrying the H1N1 virus.

He was suffering from other illnesses and was considered a person “at risk” by medical authorities, the ATS news service reported.

The federal and cantonal authorities this week launched a vaccination program aimed at protecting the population against the flu, which has claimed the lives of more than 6,700 people worldwide.