Ecuador official dies of swine flu

QUITO, Ecuador, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The chief of the Ecuadorian presidential security detail has died from the H1N1 flu, government officials confirmed.

Lt. Col. John Merino had been hospitalized for nearly a month before succumbing to the virus also know as the swine flu, El Universo newspaper reported Monday.

His death Sunday night was first announced by the office of President Rafael Correa, who heralded Merino as a "great man."

The Swine Flu has hit Latin American countries, and its leaders, particularly hard in recent weeks.

Both Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his Costa Rican counterpart, Oscar Arias, contracted the virus and survived.