However, state and local health department officials said the woman, who lived in the town of Harlingen near the Mexico border, also had recently given birth, was severely overweight, had gallstones, and had recently contracted pneumonia.
Last week, the state of Texas listed the woman as critically ill.
She was a teacher in a nearby school district, but there are currently no concerns that she might have passed the virus to students since she has not been in school for quite some time, health officials said. They also said it was unclear whether the woman had recently traveled to Mexico.
The death comes on the same day that health officials announced that schools no longer need to shut their doors to curb the spread of swine flu.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention teleconference that the CDC guidance on school closures has changed in light of "a more mild version of the disease than what originally appeared" in the United States so far.
Dr. Richard Besser, acting director fo the CDC, said that the guidance was changed in light of the serious disruptions associated with school closures.
"For very severe pandemic, the potential benefits of school closures outweigh the risk," Besser said. "But when we get to situations approaching that of seasonal flu, then the downside of school closures outweigh the potential benefit.
"If we felt that there was a benefit there, then we would be continuing to recommend school closures."
Sebelius noted, however, that the change also puts more of a burden on parents and teachers to act responsibly if a child is ill.
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