Saudi Ministry of Health has confirmed one death, and announced one suspected death, from the swine flu virus, according to reports.
The confirmed death was a 15-year-old Saudi boy, who suffered from Down’s syndrome and heart defects, reported the Saudi Gazette.
While the suspected case was a 32-year-old Sri Lankan visitor whose body was found in a Riyadh hotel room, which showed symptoms of the H1N1 virus, officials told the paper.
A medical report into the man’s death is now being compiled to determine the case of death, a ministry statement said.
The number of confirmed swine flu deaths in the kingdom has risen to six – the highest in the Middle East, the paper reported.
Hospitals in the kingdom are now on high alert and have been instructed by the ministry to test any patient for the H1N1 virus with a body temperature above 38C.
Meanwhile, 47 new swine flu cases were confirmed in Kuwait on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 361.
Health Ministry spokesman Yussef Al-Nesif told the KUNA news agency that home treatment for mild swine flu infections has been approved in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
Kuwait’s swine flu patients are mostly aged 16-35, the spokesman said, adding that the ministry was taking all required measures to contain the disease in the country.
A further 12 swine flu cases were diagnosed in Bahrain, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 142, the Gulf Daily News reported.
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