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Argentine woman cleared off A/H1N1

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-01 11:28

LIMA -- Peruvian Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said Thursday that the Argentine woman who had been confirmed as the first case of the H1N1 influenza A in Peru has been cleared of the so-call swine flu.

A souvenir seller wearing a protective mask receives tourists who arrived on a cruise at Lima's port in Callao April 30, 2009. [Agencies] more photos

Ugarte made the remarks at a press conference one day after he announced the 28-year-old Argentine woman has been confirmed as the first case of the H1N1 influenza A in Peru.

The woman fell ill with flu-like symptoms late Tuesday as she was traveling home from Mexico aboard a Copa Airlines plane, which had to make an emergency stop in Lima.

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Ugarte said further thorough examination showed that the woman was stricken with an aggressive flu instead of the strain of the deadly H1N1 influenza A and she is improving with treatment.

Peru, where nine suspected cases have been reported, has suspended all flights to and from Mexico.

So far, 13 people, one in the United States and 12 in Mexico, have been confirmed to have died of the new flu and 471 sickened with the H1N1 strain.

The World Health Organization has raised the pandemic alert to phase 5, the second highest level. Phase 5 means a virus has spread into at least two countries and is causing large outbreaks.