Rome, 2 Nov.(AKI) - Italian authorities on Monday sought to reassure the public that the health system was well prepared for the H1N1 virus, as the disease known as swine flu claimed another victim. A 42-year-old woman is confirmed to have died from the disease in Cotugno hospital in the southern city of Naples on Monday, taking the national toll to 13.

Seven deaths have occurred in the region of Campania surrounding Naples, and local prosecutor, Giovandomenico Lepore, announced an inquiry to determine why the disease was so prevalent in the southern region.

On Monday an autopsy was being conducted on the body of Emiliana, an 11-year-old girl from the city of Pompeii, who is believed to have died from the virus on Friday.

"The results of the autopsy will not only confirm whether there has been a crime, but help health authorities better understand the nature of this virus, and if it played a role in the death of the child, or if there was a pre-existing illness," Lepore told the Italian daily, La Repubblica.

"Her relatives said that the child was fine and was not suffering from any other illness. For this reason we want to know what happened."

In September a 51-year-old from the Naples suburb of Secondigliano became the first Italian victim to have died from the disease.

Meanwhile, family paediatricians said it was "illogical" to vaccinate children indiscriminately.

The Italian Society of Paediatrics sought to play down any panic and said there was "no sense" in vaccinating every child against the virus.

Health experts expect swine flu to peak in Italy between December and January, with an estimated 1.5 to 3 million cases.

On 17 October, the United Nations World Health Organization said that worldwide there have been more than 414,000 laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu and nearly 5,000 deaths reported to WHO.