BAGHDAD: There have been 67 confirmed cases of swine flu among American troops in Iraq with dozens more suspected, Iraqi officials said on Thursday, making US soldiers the single largest group in the country to come down with the virus.
American soldiers account for more than two-thirds of Iraq’s 96 swine flu cases, according to figures released by the Iraqi Health Ministry, as it presented steps being taken to control the spread of the virus that last week claimed its first fatality in Iraq.
In addition to the soldiers, 23 Iraqis and six foreigners have been diagnosed with the virus, said Dr. Amer Al-Khuzai, the deputy health minister. A 21-year-old woman, described in poor health, died in the southern holy city of Najaf where she had been visiting revered Shiite shrines.
All American soldiers diagnosed with swine flu have either recovered or are undergoing treatment, he said, adding that there have been no fatalities among US forces.
The US military confirmed the 67 cases, an increase from the 51 it reported earlier this week. It also said 71 suspected cases were in isolation. “None have been significantly ill. None have required hospitalization or evacuation,” Col. Michael D. Eisenhauer, chief of clinical operations in Iraq, said.
Swine flu cases have been diagnosed at six US bases in Iraq, he said.
The military has been giving the ministry weekly updates on the number of cases found on their bases in Iraq, Eisenhauer said. “There has not been a sudden outbreak,” Eisenhauer said, explaining that the cases have appeared over the last three months since the military began screening for the virus.
The Iraqi Health Ministry said the higher prevalence of the flu in US troops than Iraqis was likely a combination of factors, such as their close living quarters and their travels.
“We think they have this many cases because they come through different countries to come here. They come from the United States. They come from Europe,” Al-Khuzai said.
Health officials caught 10 cases of swine flu at Baghdad’s International Airport during the now routine screenings of arriving travelers, said Dr. Sabah Karkukly, who oversees the ministry’s swine flu program.
