39 dead from influenza, Turkish health minister says

ANKARA

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Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu announced on March 23 a total of 39 people have died from influenza, some 30 of them being infected by the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. 

“The total death toll from the flu epidemic is 39 as of today. We have diagnosed 366 patients with the H1N1 virus out of 4,300, along with the H3N2 and Influenza B viruses. Five of those cases were caused by Influenza B, while four of them by H3N2 and 30 of them by the H1N1 virus. However, those cases are not solely due to influenza. Some of the patients suffered from chronic lung disease, renal failure and liver failure,” said Müezzinoğlu, adding there is no need for additional precautions.

Müezzinoğlu also said there has been a numerical increase in the number of cases over the last 15 to 20 days, despite noting that the number has begun to decrease.

“The number of inpatients started to decline over the last two days. The peak flu season is over and started to decline,” said Müezzinoğlu, noting the ministry accordingly provided hospitals with 250,000 boxes of medicine in order to avoid a peak case in pharmacies.

Müezzinoğlu concluded he will make a detailed statement including the latest data on the issue on March 25.

The minister had said on March 21 a total of 360 patients out of more than 4,300 samples had tested positive for swine flu.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Eyüp Gümüş announced on March 17 a total of 16 people out of 170 known cases had died from swine flu in 2014 and 2015, predicting that the flu season would be over by the end of March.