SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The first H1N1-related death in the NWT was confirmed on Wednesday.

Dr. Kami Kandola holds up a chart showing rates of vaccination, flu swabs, and flu line calls since the beginning of September. Kandola held a a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the NWT's first H1N1 related death was. Cases of H1N1 have been decreasing rapidly since the mass vaccination campaign, according to Kandola. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

"A middle aged man died last week," said Dr. Kami Kandola, chief public health officer, at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

"(Post-mortem) tests have confirmed that he was H1N1 positive," she added.

Kandola said the man had a chronic heart condition and had not been vaccinated for the H1N1 flu virus.

She added the man died one or two days after falling ill, and was not hospitalized when he died.

"Out of respect to the family, who are experiencing intense mourning right now, we will not disclose the community," said Kandola.

"It is a relatively uncommon experience for people to get H1N1 and to go into complications so quickly," said Kandola.

"This man had chronic medical conditions, so that would have been a significant factor in how he responded to H1N1."

A baby under six months old was also hospitalized earlier this week with the virus. Children younger than five cannot be vaccinated for H1N1, said Kandola.

"Fortunately it was a routine hospitalization and did not have to go to the intensive care unit," said Kandola, adding the child has since been released from hospital.

To date, 50 people have been hospitalized in the Northwest Territories from H1N1. Of those, six were admitted into intensive care, but have since been released.

Kandola said since the vaccination campaign started, there has been a "rapid decrease" in H1N1 transmission adding there were zero H1N1 hospitalizations last week. The Department of Health and Social Services is no longer tracking individual cases of the virus but continue to monitor new cases requiring hospitalization.

"We know that the rates (of H1N1) are going down," said Kandola.

Nearly 25,000 or 58 per cent of the NWT has received a vaccination for H1N1. Thirty-four people have experienced mild, adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Although the active vaccination campaign is over residents can still arrange to recieve a H1N1 shot by contacting public health or their public health centre.