WORLD BRIEFING / BRITAIN

A person with other health conditions died of swine flu in Scotland -- the first reported death from the illness outside the Americas, officials said.

Britain, with more than 1,200 reported cases, has been harder hit by the virus -- known as H1N1-- than elsewhere in Europe.

“Tragic though today’s death is, I would like to emphasize that the vast majority of those who have H1N1 are suffering from relatively mild symptoms,” Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said.

With swine flu officially a pandemic, or global outbreak, authorities expect to see more cases and deaths worldwide.