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Ecuador president security chief dies of H1N1 flu
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-08 10:10

QUITO: The Ecuadorian government announced Monday that presidential security chief John Merino had died of A(H1N1) flu at the Military Hospital of Quito.

Colonel Merino had spent three weeks in hospital, and had a heart-respiratory shock on Sunday night, said the government.

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He was appointed the presidency's security chief just a few days before Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa took office for his second term on August 10, 2009.

Merino reported flu symptoms on August 11, and was soon hospitalized in the Military Hospital of Quito.

President Correa went to the hospital to give his condolences to Merino's relatives.  While leaving the hospital, he praised Merino as "a great man, professional, friend and patriotic."

Meanwhile, the Ecuadorian Health Ministry reported on Monday that the number of deaths for A(H1N1) flu rose to 44 over the several days.

In a communique, the ministry said that so far the country had reported 1,647 confirmed cases, including 44 deaths.