A/H1N1 flu continues to spread worldwide

Source: Xinhua | 05-11-2009 14:05

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The new strain of influenza A/H1N1continued to spread around the world on Monday as more than 4,500 people in 29 countries have been confirmed to have been infected with the disease.

The Chinese mainland reported its first confirmed case in southwest Sichuan Province, the Ministry of Health said on Monday.

A 30-year-old Chinese man, flying back to China from St. Louis of the United States via Tokyo, was found with fever and was tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza, said the ministry.

The man is being treated at the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital, and people having close contact with him are also isolated for medical observation.

In China's Taiwan, tests on two people earlier thought to have been the first cases there showed that they do not have the virus, local health authorities said on Monday.

Japan on Sunday reported its fourth case, a male student who arrived at Narita airport from the United States Friday.

The student, 16, was on board the same flight as a teacher and two other students who were confirmed Saturday to be Japan's first cases of the epidemic.

All of the four were among a group that returned from a school trip to Canada via Detroit.

Colombia has confirmed two more cases of the epidemic after receiving positive tests results, the government said on Sunday, noting the country has found a total of three confirmed cases and 189 suspected cases so far.

The Panamanian Health Ministry announced Sunday 12 new confirmed cases, bringing the country's total confirmed cases to 15. The number made Panama the country with the most confirmed cases in Central America.

Among all the 15 patients, nine are adults, and the remaining six are children aged from eight to 14. All of them did not have death danger, said the ministry.