Mohammed Mar'i Saudi Gazette RAMALLAH – The Palestinian Minister of Health Sunday said that an elderly Palestinian man has died of H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu, in the West Bank city of Jenin. The district manager of the Health Ministry, Saleh Zakarneh, said that the man in his 80s had been admitted to martyr Khalil Suleiman hospital in the city from chronic diseases. Zakarneh said that results of the tests conducted at the hospital confirmed the presence of the H1N1 virus. He died of the virus's complication late Saturday, the official said. He added that her death bring the number of the virus's victims in Palestinian territories to five since the start of the season of winter. On Friday, a teenage girl died of swine flu complications in Jenin. He added that 24 residents have been admitted to the hospital for treatment from the virus. According to Zakarneh, “most of the cases received proper treatment and were discharged.” The official said that an emergency meeting was held in Jenin Governorate to “evaluate the situation and to update the citizens on any new developments and how to prevent the spread of the virus in winter.” Zakarneh said that only patients in high-risk groups – such as pregnant women, patients with chronic respiratory diseases, patients with suppressed immune systems, or patients with heart conditions – need to seek medical attention if they contract swine flu. Symptoms of swine flu include a fever, cough, headache, weakness and fatigue, aching muscles and joints, sore throat and a runny nose. On Friday, the Ministry of Health said that a total of 40 cases are receiving medical treatment from the virus in various West Bank cities. Hundreds of Palestinians were diagnosed with the swine since the first case was discovered in June 2009. Last year, twelve Palestinians died of the virus. Swine flu also called H1N1 flu, swine influenza, hog flu, is an infection caused by any one of the several types of swine influenza virus like H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common. But people with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection.
