(RTTNews) - Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health revealed Monday that at least eleven people have died from swine flu in the war-torn country since 3rd November, including an Afghan soldier.

The ministry said that 710 of the 779 reported cases of swine flu in the country have been among the hundreds and thousands of Afghan and international coalition troops fighting a resurgent Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

According to the ministry, the 710 cases of swine flu infection among the security forces in the country is distributed between 320 foreign troops and 390 Afghan soldiers.

Last week, the number of fatalities in Afghanistan due to swine flu infection stood at eight, with 273 foreign troops inflicted with the disease. The total infection across the country then was reported to be at 456.
The alarming spread of swine flu in Afghanistan comes at a time when the Afghan troops and international security forces deployed in the country are struggling to contain the resurgent Taliban militants.

Following the outbreak of the disease early November, the Afghan government closed down schools and universities for three weeks, and advised people with fever to stay at home and the general public to wear face masks while going out.

The Afghan government indicated it currently has enough anti-viral medicine to treat some 50,000 flu patients, with some 30,000 more doses expected to be flown in shortly. However, the country does not have H1N1 vaccinations to arrest the spread of the disease, and is currently expecting to receive some 550,000 doses from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The escalating number of swine flu infections in the country has prompted the Afghan government to appeal for $125 million in aid to tackle the situation. The government has also requested the WHO for 11 million doses of vaccine for preventing the spread of swine flu.

by RTT Staff Writer

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