Ecuador Records 74 Swine Flu Deaths This Year

Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health has reported that a total of 74 people have died of swine flu, so far this year.

Besides, the country has also seen 691 cases of swine flu in 2016, the ministry said, Xinhua news agency reported.

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‘Ecuador has recorded 74 swine flu deaths and a total of 691 cases of swine flu in 2016.’

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This number of victims is still lower than that for the same period in 2013 when an AH1N1 epidemic had left 114 dead.

This year's spread of the virus, also known as swine flu, has so far killed 11 percent of those having contracted it.

The virus usually attacks the respiratory tract and causes fever, headaches, bone and muscle pain and intense coughing.

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With the epidemic surging again, the ministry banned the open sale of anti-flu medicine at pharmacies in May to prevent people from self-medicating as soon as they present flu symptoms.

In May, the government also bought 300,000 doses of flu vaccine, which are mainly being distributed in the coastal provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas, which were severely affected by the April 16 earthquake.

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A total of 764 people have died of H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu, in Brazil so far this year, the Ministry of Health reported.

Source-IANS

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