Source: Mehr News Agency, Tehran

Doctors believe one million are infected in the country

TEHRAN, Nov. 25 (Mehr News Agency) -- Health Minister Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi announced on Wednesday that swine flu vaccines will be imported from France within the next ten days. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the swine flu committee meeting, she said that H1N1 flu is a new disease that has involved all of the countries.

She noted that the Health Ministry has established special laboratories in many provinces to diagnose the illness and is going to allocate some special beds in hospitals to the H1N1 patients.

She also said statistics show that 80 percent of people around the world will get the disease in the next two years. The minister said that death toll from H1N1 disease is 4 in 1000.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) if more than 100 people get the disease in a country then there is no need for diagnostic examinations, she explained.

She noted that reports from all over the country indicates that there are 3672 H1N1 cases but infectious disease doctors believe that now more than one million people are infected with the virus in the country. She added her ministry is trying to provide a daily statistics of the cases around the country.

She also said the ministry has so far imported 2.8 million seasonal flu vaccines and according to a plan more than 200,000 vaccines will be imported each week to prevent a black market.

Media activist Farvartish Rezvanieh protested the inactivity of the Iranian officials in fighting the spread of Swine Flu.  In a symbolic gesture, Farvartish wore an H1N1 bunny suite and walked in the streets of Tehran in order to bring public awareness about this deadly virus.  In response, one of the officials of the Health Ministry called Farvartish's move useless and said he should be sent to a mental hospital!

Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Hassan Emami told reporters that 160 beds are allocated to the H1N1 flu victims in the hospitals around the country.

He noted that 60 beds are just in Tehran's hospitals.

... Payvand News - 11/25/09 ... --

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