BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced Tuesday the discovery of two new cases of the deadly H1N1 virus, otherwise known as swine flu, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 10. The patients were described as a 27-year-old man arriving from Australia and a 32-year-old woman from Canada who arrived at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Monday, the ministry said in a statement. The patients have been put into quarantine for treatment and monitoring purposes.

The announcement follows the recent discoveries of five swine flu cases, which were reported on June 9.

The first three cases of swine flu in Lebanon were discovered on June 1. The patients, a Lebanese coming from Spain and two Canadian tourists, were put in isolation at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport until they fully recovered.

H1N1, a mixture of swine, bird and human flu, has killed 165 people and infected over 37,000 since the epidemic first broke out in April this year, according to statistics from the World Health Organization. At least 11 people have been diagnosed with swine flu in neighboring Israel. Jordan, Yemen and several Gulf Arab countries have also confirmed cases of the virus, with all of the patients coming or returning from abroad.

Lebanon imposed a ban on pork imports in late April in an effort to contain the virus, although the flu cannot be spread through pork products.

Beirut followed the move by creating a cross-ministry, national emergency committee to combat a possible national flu pandemic. Authorities also issued a request that the Lebanese refrain from greeting their friends and family with the traditional three kisses on the cheek to reduce the likelihood of transmission. “If you visit someone, don’t exchange kisses … Let’s stop the social kissing habit,” Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh said at the time. His advice has largely gone unheeded.
© Copyright The Daily Star 2009.

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