Swine flu on the spread in Iran

Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi

Iran Minster of Health Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi announced that 3 to 4 thousand people are infected with the H1N1 flu type A (swine flu) everyday in Iran.

Iran media reported that Mrs. Dastjerdi has called on Ministry of Education to close down schools that have been infected, to stop the spread of this disease. Schools that have too many cases of swine flu must be shut down, according to the Minster of Health. She added that some schools have disobeyed the ministry directives which have to be quickly dealt with.

Experts claim one day closure of schools will cost 30 billion rials and put 16% of public and private employees out of work.

The swine flu is currently registered in 140 countries and seven of Iran’s neighbouring countries are grappling with its spread.

Deputy Minster of Health Hassan Emami Razavi told IRNA that to date the swine flu has infected 1194 people in Iran and claimed 16 lives.

The H1N1 flu is a viral disease with three times the possibility of contagion compared to the seasonal flu.

According to IRNA reports, the first confirmed case of swine flu infection in Iran was a 16-year-old Iranian resident of the US that had travelled to Iran. The youngster recovered after receiving treatment in Iran.

Mohammad Mehdi Gooya, head of Centre for Communicable Diseases branch of Iran’s ministry of health has told Central news agency that Iran will be grappling with this disease for two years.