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Peru confirms first case of H1N1 flu

PERU confirmed its first case of the new H1N1 flu strain in a Peruvian citizen who recently returned from the United States, the country's health minister said yesterday.

The woman returned to Peru on Saturday on a LAN Airlines flight from New York but did not suffer any flu-like symptoms until the following day, Oscar Ugarte told a news conference.

"This 27-year-old citizen arrived without symptoms or pains but developed a fever on Sunday night," he added. She is being treated at home and is recovering, Ugarte said.

Peruvian health officials are testing her fellow passengers on the New York flight for flu along with her family.

Peru is the latest country in Latin America to report cases of H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, which has killed 65 people -- including 60 in Mexico -- and infected nearly 6,500 people in 33 countries, according to the World Health Organization.

Common seasonal flu kills up to 500,000 people a year worldwide.

Peru lifted a ban on flights to and from Mexico on Wednesday, and Argentina announced it was resuming direct flights between the two countries as of Friday.



 

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