20 Deaths in Iran Due to Influenza Infection

According to health officials, with the onset of winter in Iran, 20 people have died in the provinces of Kerman and Sistan and Baluchestan due to influenza. Ali Akbar Siari, the Deputy Minister of Health, announced on Sunday, December 6, in an interview with ISNA that 65 cases of influenza have been identified in Iran, with 16 fatalities in Kerman and 4 in Sistan and Baluchestan. This health official stated that so far, 136 people have visited medical centers for influenza, with the virus identified in 65 of them. Siari emphasized the need for vaccination, especially for at-risk individuals, stating, "At-risk individuals include the elderly and those with underlying chronic diseases; if anyone from this group contracts influenza, their influenza virus will be accompanied by an infection from their underlying condition, increasing the likelihood of mortality." In this context, the Minister of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education of Iran confirmed the deaths of several individuals in Kerman due to influenza, stating that "the influenza virus becomes more resistant each year compared to the previous year." Hassan Hashemi, on December 6, emphasized in an interview with ISNA that "the influenza that led to the deaths of patients in Kerman was of the common influenza type," and announced, "the influenza virus becomes more resistant each year, and the type of virus becomes more aggressive, which has also happened this year." Hashemi stated that "if individuals take care, there is no cause for concern," adding, "it is rare for someone to die from influenza, but individuals with immune deficiencies or underlying diseases experience more severe cases of influenza." According to the Minister of Health, these individuals lose their lives due to respiratory problems caused by influenza. A few days ago, a yellow alert was declared in Kerman province to combat the influenza known as swine flu. In this regard, Alireza Razm Hosseini, the governor of Kerman, issued an order on Tuesday, December 1, to form a crisis headquarters with the participation of health officials, stating that if serious measures are not taken to prevent the H1N1 type of influenza, a wave of this deadly virus will emerge. Swine flu (H1N1) is transmitted through coughing, sneezing, and contact with contaminated objects.