Locals walk on the street in Yangon, wearing face masks to protect themselves from the H1N1 virus.
Myanmar yesterday called for calm on Monday after 13 people were confirmed to have contracted H1N1 influenza and a boy had died with flu-like symptoms, raising fears of a new outbreak of a virus also known as swine flu. Three cases of H1N1 had been confirmed in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, on Friday, the Ministry of Health and Sport said in a statement yesterday after news of the infections had already spread. The ministry said another 10 people in Matupi had caught the virus this month. A 6-year-old boy also died in Matupi with severe respiratory problems suspected to have been caused by H1N1, Dr Win Lwin of the Yangon health department said.
