First H1N1 case in Barbados

Barbadian health authorities have confirmed the first case of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, on the island, according to reports on CANANEWS.net.



Acting Health Minister Irene Saniford-Garner said the infected person is a 19-year-old male. She said the young man, who has not travelled recently, has a mild case of the deadly virus and has been isolated at home.



Barbados is now the fifth Caribbean country to report a confirmed case of the virus. Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba and Jamaica are the other countries.



The World Health Organisation has said that to date, the virus has caused 19, 273 cases of infection in 66 countries, but just 117 deaths, 97 of them in Mexico.