13 people in Myanmar have contracted the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the swine flu, reports Reuters.
A 6-year-old boy also died in Matupi with severe respiratory problems suspected to have been caused by H1N1, Dr. Win Lwin, director of the Yangon regional health department, told reporters.
“There is no need to panic because it usually happens every year,” the ministry said, adding that those with symptoms should go to government clinics for treatment.
News of the infections spread rapidly on social media, and many commuters in downtown Yangon had by Monday afternoon begun wearing face masks. Few people in Myanmar get annual vaccinations against any strain of flu.
In 2009, the virus – which affects young people more frequently than other types of flu – spread to most countries in the world. At least 66 people contracted it in Myanmar, according to official comments carried by media at the time.
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