Death toll from H1N1 in Argentina reaches 38

BUENOS AIRES - The H1N1 Influenza A virus has claimed the lives of 38 people so far this year in Argentina, a regional health official said Tuesday, following the confirmation of two more deaths in the western province of San Juan.

A representative of the San Juan Ministry of Health, Mauricio Diaz, confirmed the latest two deaths to the press.

Diaz did not reveal the identities of the victims, but indicated they were in the high-risk group, which includes those struggling with a chronic disease, such as diabetes, the elderly, pregnant women, children under two, and those with a weak immune system.

According to official figures, 13 of the 38 victims lived in the province of Buenos Aires, while nine lived in Cordoba, five in Santa Fe, three in Rio Negro, two in the capital Buenos Aires, two in San Juan, and one each in Catamarca, La Pampa, Mendoza and La Rioja.

As many as 626 people died in Argentina during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic that first brought the severe flu to the attention of the public and health authorities.