Manila - A 49-year-old Filipino woman with chronic heart disease became the first fatality from swine flu in the Philippines, health officials said Monday.

The victim died on June 19, two days after she fell ill, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said.

Duque said the woman had no history of travel, adding that it was not yet known how she got infected.

According to the Department of Health, the number of confirmed H1N1 cases in the Philippines has reached 445 since the first infection was reported in late May.

Duque said 80 per cent of the patients have recovered. (dpa)