Right-wing pundit Bre Payton, 26, dies suddenly of swine flu

US friends of a conservative commentator are trying to understand how she died after a sudden illness at the age of 26.

Bre Payton, a writer for the right-wing website The Federalist and a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel and other media outlets, died on Friday in San Diego.

Friend Morgan Murtaugh said she found Payton unconscious in her room on Wednesday morning.

Payton sent a tweet promoting a TV appearance just hours before she was found.

A profile on CaringBridge said doctors determined she had H1N1 flu - commonly known as swine flu - and "possibly meningitis".

An update said said doctors had confirmed the meningitis diagnosis and had found no brain activity.

"Thank you everyone for your prayers. It is with a heavy heart that I type this. Unfortunately Bre has passed," Murtaugh wrote on Twitter earlier today.

"Please send prayers to her family. Rest in paradise you beautiful soul."

In recent appearances on Fox News, Payton had condemned what she called "fake news" media coverage of President Donald Trump.

An obituary in The Federalist called Payton "joyful, hard-working, and compassionate". It said she had a deep Christian faith.

In a tweet, Meghan McCain, daughter of late Senator John McCain, called Payton "a wonderful, fearless, vibrant, intelligent young woman".