The patient who Moses Cone Health System officials said may have exposed 33 infants in the neonatal intensive care unit to the H1N1 flu virus died Friday afternoon.

The death marks the second death from the virus in North Carolina.

"Federal law limits what we can say, however, we believe the virus aggravated pre-existing medical issues and contributed to the death," infectious disease specialist Dr. Tim Lane said.

Before this patient's virus was identified, he was being treated for asthma complications. A staff respiratory therapist, not knowing she had been exposed to H1N1, later came into contact with infants in the NICU.

After the hospital confirmed the adult patient had H1N1, staff in the NICU began precautionary Tamiflu treatment of the 33 babies. The babies are past the likely incubation period for flu.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with this patient's loved ones," Lane said.

Another patient died at the hospital last Friday.