A North Carolina adult with underlying health conditions has died from complications related to the swine flu, the state's first death linked to the virus, officials said Wednesday.

The patient recently had a heart procedure and returned to the hospital several days after being released, Moses Cone Health System said in a statement. The hospital system said the patient was in critical condition with severe pneumonia and died Friday, hours after returning to the seek medical care.

"We certainly send our thoughts and prayers to the family," said Joan Wessman, chief nursing officer at Moses Cone Health.

Officials said the person has tested positive for swine flu.

The state is considering the Greensboro case a "related" swine flu death because of the person's other medical complications. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Renee McCoy said officials have anticipated seeing some deaths from the swine flu.

State health officials have confirmed at least 124 swine flu cases in the state. There have been more than 20,000 U.S. cases of the swine flu and 87 deaths.

Moses Cone Health recently said a respiratory therapist who tested positive for swine flu may have unknowingly exposed 33 babies at a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. The hospital has said none of the babies have shown symptoms and said Wednesday that the swine flu death was unrelated.

55 new cases this week.
Confirmed cases: 179
The first death in North Carolina with a link to H1N1 was announced today.
Alamance County - 7,
Alexander County - 1,
Brunswick County - 3,
Buncombe County - 2,
Cabarrus County - 1,
Carteret County - 2,
Chatham County - 9,
Craven County - 9,
Cumberland County - 1,
Davidson County - 1,
Duplin County - 3,
Durham County - 3,
Franklin County - 2,
Granville County - 2,
Guilford County - 6,
Harnett County - 2,
Haywood County - 1,
Henderson County - 4,
Hoke County - 1,
Johnston County - 12, Lee County - 4,
Lenoir County - 2,
Martin County - 2,
Mecklenburg County - 3,
New Hanover County - 11,
Northampton County - 1,
Onslow County - 4,
Orange County - 15,
Pender County - 5,
Person County - 5,
Pitt County - 4,
Rockingham County - 8,
Rowan County - 1,
Rutherford County - 1,
Sampson County - 4,
Surry County - 1,
Wake County - 27,
Wayne County - 2,
Wilson County - 7

Previous Stories:
[ 06.23.2009 ] No Signs Of H1N1 Flu In Babies At NC Hospital
[ 06.04.2009 ] Two New Confirmed Cases Of H1N1 In Wake County
[ 06.04.2009 ] Students Report To School Despite H1N1 Scare
[ 06.02.2009 ] Wake Schools Would Not Close For Swine Flu
[ 06.01.2009 ] Wake County Has First Confirmed Swine Flu Case
[ 05.29.2009 ] Second Case Of Swine Flu In Orange
[ 05.22.2009 ] UNC Pediatric Healthcare Worker Diagnosed With H1N1 Flu
[ 05.22.2009 ] New Swine Flu Case Confirmed In Orange Co.
[ 05.12.2009 ] Swine Flu Case Confirmed In Western NC
[ 05.11.2009 ] State: 11 Confirmed Swine Flu Cases In NC