Family settles compensation for woman's death in E. China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-04 16:26

HANGZHOU: Authorities in east China's Hangzhou City said Saturday that relatives of a woman A(H1N1) flu patient who was accidentally electrocuted in her hospital ward bathroom had signed an agreement with the hospital over compensation.

The No.1 People's Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, had agreed to pay the family 950,000 yuan (139,706 US dollars) for death of Lou Yihong, 34, said a spokesman for the district's special working group looking into the death.

Lou was admitted on June 23 to the hospital in Zhejiang Province after being diagnosed with A(H1N1) flu.

She had been recovering and her temperature had measured normal for a week before her death. She had coughed occasionally, but other flu symptoms had disappeared, according to the Hangzhou municipal health bureau.

She was found dead in her ward lavatory by a nurse at 7:35 a.m. Wednesday.

The death prompted more than 50 of her relatives to protest at the hospital from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday, damaging the inside of the buildings and an ambulance with rocks. Glass in the hall and a flower terrace in front of the hospital were smashed.

Local public security, health and quality supervision departments said in a joint statement Friday that "the patient died of electrocution caused by a leakage of electricity from electrical circuits in her ward bathroom, when she was taking a shower," citing the result of a comprehensive investigation that included an autopsy.

The relatives who had suspected Lou's death was caused by a leakage of electricity from the water heater in the bathroom reportedly demanded compensation of 4 million yuan (585,000 US dollars) from the hospital.

Lou's body was cremated early Friday.