Va. has 3 more swine flu deaths, 1 in Norfolk

Three more deaths in Virginia associated with swine flu have been confirmed, including a Norfolk woman with underlying health problems.

The other two deaths involved a man from the Richmond health district and a woman from the West Piedmont health district. Both had underlying conditions. Due to privacy concerns, the state health department did not identify victims.

The state has had 27 confirmed deaths related to the pandemic H1N1 flu. Five have been from Hampton Roads.

The rate of influenza-related illness at emergency rooms and urgent care centers has fallen from a high of 14 percent in late October to the most recent rate of 5 percent.