Health ministry denies website report on H1N1 in Gaza

 GAZA, — The head of ambulance and emergency in the health ministry has denied reports published by Palestine our home website that claimed the swine flu cases in Gaza Strip had risen to 89 and that 21 had died of the disease.

Muwaiya Hasanein told the PIC on Saturday that all what that site had circulated was absolutely not true.

He said that he was not the one to speak about figures regarding that disease and the only one authorized to do so is the ministry’s undersecretary Dr. Hasan Khalaf.

Hasanein said that most of the swine flu patients had recovered and gone home and those who died were suffering from chronic diseases.

He urged citizens in Gaza not to panic, adding that those who spread rumors were trying to create confusion and tension in the Palestinian street.

Meanwhile, the ministry announced that a child, who was already suffering form kidney failure, had died as a result of swine flu.

It said that the death of the child, who contracted the disease four days ago, had risen the number of victims of that virus to 8, noting that the child was given the necessary treatment but her weak immunity did not help her body to resist the flu.

The ministry pointed out that 52 swine flu cases were registered so far in the Strip.