WHO Confirms 14 Swine-Flu Cases In Tajikistan

DUSHANBE -- A World Health Organization (WHO) official has said there are 14 swine-flu cases in Tajikistan, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Craig Hampton, a technical officer at WHO's Disaster Preparedness Response office in Dushanbe, told RFE/RL that no one in Tajikistan has died from swine flu.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Maysara Qurbonova told RFE/RL that 14 of the 225 samples tested were found to be swine-flu positive.

She said nine of the swine-flu patients are foreigners from China, India, and Russia and the remaining five -- which include two children -- are Tajiks living in Dushanbe.

Qurbonova added that all 14 swine-flu patients are getting medical treatment and some have already been released from the hospital.

Tajik authorities reported last week that a 32-year-old woman in the northern province of Khujand had died with swine-flu symptoms. But WHO officials in Dushanbe said today she did not die from swine flu.