Peru Health Ministry officials have confirmed at least one case of AH1N1 swine flu in a pupil at a state school in the country’s capital, Lima.
A 12-year old girl tested positive for the swine flu virus, although she doesn’t know from who or how she contracted it, said the “República de Colombia” High school Principal, Jesús Chávez, to daily Peru 21.
Several schools in districts across Lima – including Pueblo Libre, San Borja, Surco and Miraflores – have temporarily suspended classes as a precaution to avoid the spreading of the virus.
The first cases were reported in private schools several weeks ago, following the return of student graduating-class groups from mid-term vacations in the Caribbean.
So far, 255 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Peru.
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, “if a swine virus establishes efficient human-to human transmission, it can cause an influenza pandemic. The impact of a pandemic caused by such a virus is difficult to predict: it depends on virulence of the virus, existing immunity among people, cross protection by antibodies acquired from seasonal influenza infection and host factors.”
As of June 24, 2009, 110 countries have officially reported 55,867 cases of AH1N1 influenza infection, including 238 deaths.
