Taipei County has become the 23rd person to die of influenza A (H1N1)

in Taiwan, the county's Public Health Bureau reported Friday.

The man died of the swine flu on Thursday, a day after being

admitted to the hospital due to breathing difficulties, according to

a statement by the bureau.

The statement said the man, who had suffered from chronic

diseases, including diabetes, hypertension and gout, and was a heavy

smoker, developed a fever and a cough on Oct. 2 after attending a

party with family members and friends to celebrate the Mid-Autumn

Festival.

The patient had been tested for the H1N1 virus, but the test came

back negative. The Centers for Disease Control did not categorize the

man as a severe H1N1 case until Friday, the statement said.

He was the fifth Taipei County resident killed by the H1N1 virus.

None of his family members except for his son were infected with

the flu virus, the bureau said, and the son has shown signs of

recovery after being treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

As of Friday, the northern Taiwan county has reported 80 H1N1

cases, 13 of which have been hospitalized, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported

Friday morning that three more patients had been hospitalized with

the H1N1 flu virus in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total cases

to 341 since the outbreak began.

Of that number, 23 were still being treated in local hospitals.

The three newly hospitalized patients were two men -- aged 18 and

14 respectively -- and a 74-year-old woman.

The CECC also reported that as of 4 p.m. Thursday, 316 classes at

207 schools around Taiwan were suspended because of swine flu

outbreaks.

(By Elizabeth Hsu)