9 Palestinians die of H1N1 virus

Nine Palestinians have died of H1N1 virus in the West Bank over the last two weeks, Palestinian officials confirmed Saturday. Asaad Al-Ramlawi, Director of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua that according to the ministry's laboratories "nine Palestinians died, while 189 were diagnosed to suffer the virus." "All dead were suffering of chronic illness due to immune deficiency, as the H1N1 virus caused severe pulmonary infections of which they died," said Al-Ramlawi. He noted that H1N1 virus was "a seasonal virus" that spread in the West Bank's northern areas and continued spreading across central and southern areas. Al-Ramlawi said that the Palestinian Ministry of Health is well- prepared to fight the virus, adding that World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed to provide with anti-virus vaccines. In 2011, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the death of 12 Palestinians due to the H1N1 influenza.