American Indians in New Mexico are dying from the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, at the highest rate, a Department of Health official said.

As of last week, 40 people died from the swine flu. Eight of them were Indian -- five adults and three children.

"We know American Indians have higher rates of diabetes in New Mexico, and that may partly contribute to what we're seeing," said deputy state epidemiologist Mike Landen, the Associated Press reported. "We also know American Indians have higher poverty rates as a group than other population groups. We also know that in the West, American Indians may be living in relatively remote places with longer distances to medical care. All of these may be possible explanations."

Get the Story:
N.M. sees higher swine flu deaths among American Indians (AP 12/2)

Related Stories:
Alaska Natives hospitalized for flu at highest rate (11/30)
PRI: Swine flu threatens Yanomami in Amazon (11/18)
Artist Michael Kabotie dies from flu complications (10/26)
Wind River Reservation schools closed due to flu (10/15)
Swine flu probe links nurse to body bags (10/8)
Off-reserve Natives eye flu vaccine priority (10/7)
BIE school first in New Mexico to close for flu (09/25)
BIE school closed for large number of flu cases (9/24)
Swine flu reported at Oglala Sioux Tribe school (9/23)
Body bag apology not enough for First Nations (9/18)
First Nations receive body bags in swine flu kits (9/16)
BIE tells schools with swine flu cases to close (9/15)
Utah tribes receive money for swine flu campaign (9/4)
Canada vows Native priority for swine flu vaccine (9/1)
First Nation cancels meeting over swine flu (8/18)
Fort Belknap Reservation hit with swine flu (8/14)
Remote tribe in Peru sees cases of swine flu (8/13)
First Nations raising money to fight swine flu (07/17)
Native woman in Saskatchewan dies of swine flu (7/14)
Swine flu among Natives worries prime minister (06/26)
First Nations declare emergency over swine flu (6/25)
First Nations denied hand sanitizer despite flu (6/24)
Native woman in Manitoba dies after flu illness (6/22)
Another swine flu case among Manitoba Natives (06/10)
Natives in Manitoba hit by severe flu breakout (6/9)
First Nation in Manitoba confirms swine flu (06/05)
IHS confirms three cases of swine flu in Navajo area (5/21)
Swine flu death reported on Gila River Reservation (5/20)
Chippewa Cree Tribe reports case of swine flu (5/18)
IHS confirms swine flu case on Navajo Nation (5/13)
Indian Country largely spared from swine flu virus (5/12)
Mille Lacs Band reports possible case of swine flu (5/7)
Lac du Flambeau Band responds to swine flu concerns (5/5)