Swine flu cases rise in Iraq

BAGHDAD – There have been 67 confirmed cases of swine flu among American troops in Iraq with dozens more suspected, Iraqi officials said Wednesday, making U.S. soldiers the single largest group in the country to come down with the virus.

American soldiers account for more than two-thirds of Iraq’s 96 swine flu cases, according to figures released by the Iraqi Health Ministry, as it presented steps being taken to control the spread of the virus that last week claimed its first fatality in Iraq.

In addition to the soldiers, 23 Iraqis and six foreigners have been diagnosed with the virus, said Dr. Amer al-Khuzai, the deputy health minister. A 21-year-old woman, described in poor health, died in the southern holy city of Najaf where she had been visiting revered Shiite shrines.

All American soldiers diagnosed with swine flu have either recovered or are undergoing treatment, he said, adding that there have been no fatalities among U.S. forces.

The U.S. military confirmed the 67 cases, an increase from the 51 it reported earlier this week. It also said 71 suspected cases were in isolation.

“None have been significantly ill. None have required hospitalization or evacuation,” Col. Michael D. Eisenhauer, chief of clinical operations in Iraq, told the Associated Press in an e-mail Wednesday.

Swine flu cases have been diagnosed at six American bases in Iraq, he said.

Al-Khuzai cautioned Iraqis to avoid crowded places, including religious sites, where the virus can easily be transmitted.

Iraq’s Cabinet on Wednesday banned trips to Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, during which millions of pilgrims will mingle at the holy sites there.

Iraq also has joined other countries in preventing children, the elderly and the chronically ill from the annual hajj pilgrimage in late November.

The World Health Organization, as of July 31, had tallied more than 162,000 swine flu cases worldwide. It counted at least 1,154 deaths.

The Health Ministry also launched a public health campaign using posters, leaflets, television advertisements and radio spots to educate Iraqis about how to prevent transmission of the virus and what to do if they catch swine flu.

Iraq’s Cabinet also approved the purchase of $100 million worth of the anti-viral medicine Tamiflu, which is enough for a quarter of Iraq’s population.