KINGSTON, Jamaica – A second medical doctor diagnosed with H1N1 died over the weekend, becoming the sixth person to pass away from complications related to that virus in the last month, health officials confirmed.

Dr. Denise Duncan Goffe died at the University Hospital of the West Indies last Saturday.

The first person to die of H1N1-related illness was Dr. Suzanna Roye, in February. All the victims so far have had other chronic medical illnesses along with H1N1.

Of the total 187 samples tested for the Influenza A virus, 69 have been confirmed positive.

In a press release issued after Goffe’s death, the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), said the doctor played an invaluable role in efforts to continuously improve and maintain high-quality health care service delivery to the public.

Goffe served in public health for more than 30 years. She retired in 2014 as director of Health Service Planning and Integration in the Ministry of Health and was later employed to SERHA as clinical quality assurance officer.

Minister of Health Dr. Christopher Tufton also hailed her contribution to the sector.

“Dr Goffe was more than a colleague; she was family, having spent decades in the public health sector. Her achievements are many and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her on something that we are all passionate about – impacting the lives of the ordinary man through the provision of quality health care,” he said last Sunday.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kevin Harvey, said Goffe was instrumental in laying the foundation for development of primary health care while Chief Medical Officer Dr. Winston De La Haye said the health sector lost a true stalwart.