Peru's first influenza A/H1N1-related death was confirmed on Sunday with the Ministry of Health reported two deaths linked to the virus.

In a press conference held Sunday noon, Health Minister Oscar Ugarte has confirmed that two people have recently died, with their deaths linked to influenza A/H1N1.

A 38 year-old woman died on June 28 at Casaimiro Ulloa hospital in Lima; and a 4 year-old girl died on Friday, July 3, in Cayetano Heredia hospital in Lima.

In the first case, Minister Ugarte detailed that the woman suffered from high blood pressure and was overweight, while the second case involved a girl with Down's syndrome.

10,260 cases reported from the EU and EFTA countries, with 57 new cases reported in the past 24 hours;
1,465 new cases are reported from non-EU and EFTA countries;
FYROM reported its first two confirmed case;
Thirteen new fatal cases are reported from Non EU and EFTA countries.

2).The global number of confirmed cases is 95,249 and 425 deaths.

SAN JOSE, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rica health authorities on Sunday reported the nation's third A/H1N1 flu death of a 55-year-old man, who died on Monday last week.

The man had been hospitalized for in San Jose with severe pneumonia, and had been suffering from lung blockages before catching the flu, the Health Ministry said. He had been a smoker since age 13.

Costa Rica's first death was on May 9, and its second on June 23, that of a woman suffering obesity.

Authorities are testing samples taken from people with serious cases of pneumonia, even after they have died, for traces of A/H1N1, Costa Rica's health minister, Maria Luisa Avila, told Xinhua. The country currently has 229 confirmed cases and 77 samples of possible cases awaiting test results. 　
.

BUENOS AIRES .- The Argentine health authorities confirmed today that the number of deaths from influenza A amounted to 62 people, while the recess will begin tomorrow in advance announcing the school responsible for education to prevent further spread of the influenza virus H1N1.

He was scheduled to begin school in the recess 15 days, but due to the large number of cases of influenza A was decided two weeks in advance.

Meanwhile, health ministers from around the country will meet tomorrow to discuss new health measures and assess the effectiveness of decisions taken in recent days to contain the epidemic of influenza.

The meeting of all staff will be headed by the minister of the area, Juan Manzur, who today again called "individual and social responsibility" to stop the spread of the flu and said that "there are different phases in an epidemic."

Also, tomorrow will be suspended from classes and judicial activity throughout the country to avoid infection, as well as available health authorities and the judiciary throughout the country.

In Cordova, a couple of 26 years died in hospital Iturraspe of San Francisco and became the first fatal case of influenza A in the province, according to the director of the clinic, Mario Vignolo.

According to the local agency DyN, Santa Fe A influenza killed 13 people, of whom 10 were in groups considered at risk and the remaining three were healthy.

More deaths from swine flu are expected, Health Minister Tony Ryall said today.

The country's first three deaths from the virus were announced on Saturday, and today five other people remained in critical condition, including an otherwise healthy young woman.

Mr Ryall told Radio New Zealand people with underlying medical conditions were most likely to suffer more severe forms of swine flu, and it was important that those suffering severe cases call their GP or Healthline, where registered nurses were answering calls 24/7, on 0800 611 116.

When asked if more New Zealanders were expected to die from the virus, he said "sadly, that is the case".

"Every year we lose just over 400 New Zealanders to flu or flu-related complications [and] swine flu is going to increase that number ... we will have potentially more cases."
.

Monday, July 6, 2009
PAMPANGA -- An influenza A (H1N1) survivor in Mexico town is complaining about the "inefficient and irresponsible" handling of his case by the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon.

Bonifacio Guevarra of Barangay San Rafael, Mexico, said in an e-mail to the House committee on health and the World Health Organization (WHO) that he hopes the government can look on how effective regional offices of the DOH and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) are in handling suspected cases of A (H1N1).

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

Guevarra said it took the DOH and RITM eight days to release the result of his tests, instead of the standard two to three days.

"I would like to let your good office be aware of my predicament about how the Department of Health handles the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, specifically the DOH regional office in Central Luzon. I was found to be positive with the said virus after days of inefficient and irresponsible handling of mandated government agencies/offices," Guevarra said in his letter to House health committee chairman Arthur Pingol.

Guevarra started to feel sick on June 15, with a sore throat, occasional dry cough and slight fever. On June 17, he had himself undergone swab testing at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in the City of San Fernando.

"I was advised to stay home and take regular paracetamol drugs while waiting for the results from two to three days. I did not report for work as told," he narrated. However, Guevarra was disappointed with the seeming lack of seriousness of the DOH in following up the results of his tests.

Guevarra made several follow-ups of the result of his swab test to no avail. In between, no DOH doctor or nurse made a house visit to check on him or called to inquire if the symptoms had waned or worsened, he said.

It was only when the result was finally released on June 25 that the DOH regional office gave Guevarra 10 tablets of anti-viral tablet, Tamiflu, that were to expire in five days.

"I was told that I was infected with the virus three days after RITM had the results. I was told of my situation after exposing [myself to] at least 60 personnel in my office. I was even the one who called the director. What if I do not have enough load credits then? I was even given Tamiflu that will expire on July 2009," Guevarra said.

Central Luzon Health Regional Director Rio Magpantay, for his part, said: "I will have to reconcile his accusations with my staff and that of the central office."

The DOH is set to answer Guevarra's allegations in a press conference Monday at the DOH regional office.

Asked if the DOH has set up a feedback system for H1N1 patients, Magpantay said: "We are learning. This is a new virus. We are aware that we have to improve the system. We are open to comments and we discuss them to come up with better management."

As of July 1, the DOH reported that 86 percent or 1,485 of the 1,709 confirmed A (H1N1) cases in the country have already recovered. Some 14 percent or 224 patients are still under treatment.