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Ministry warns of possible A (H1N1) flu deaths in China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-29 16:32

Special coverage:  A(H1N1) Influenza Outbreak Related readings: Mainland confirms 729th flu case Flu hits schools in Guangdong Flu take heavy toll on big hotels Britain suffers 2nd H1N1 flu death A(H1N1) flu takes new death tolls in Asia-Pacific region US flu cases may have hit 1 million

BEIJING: China is "very likely" to have a regional outbreak of the A (H1N1) influenza and its first death from the virus in the foreseeable future, as the number of the flu cases rises in the country, a health ministry official said here Monday.

"A collective occurrence of the disease or a possible regional outbreak of the influenza is inevitable at this point," Liang Wannian, vice director of the emergency office under the Health Ministry, said at a press conference.

"The number of imported cases of the A (H1N1) flu is expected to continue to increase in the near future, and more local people will be infected by the virus," he said.

As the total of the infected increases, the chances of medical workers, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases being infected will rise, making the possibility of A (H1N1) flu fatalities "extremely possible," he said.

The Chinese mainland reported a total of 729 A (H1N1) flu cases as of 6 pm on June 28, with no fatalities so far.