A/H1N1 flu death toll rises to 19 in Turkey: ministry

The Turkish Health Ministry said on Thursday that four more Turks died of influenza A/H1N1 in Turkey, bringing the novel flu death toll to 19.

The ministry said in a statement that four people -- a 28-year-old man, two women aged 32 and 33, and a six-year-old girl - died of the flu in the past 24 hours in Turkey.

Turkey has witnessed a fast rise of death toll from A/H1N1 flu in the past few days.

On Wednesday, the Turkish Health Ministry said four more Turks died of influenza A/H1N1 in Turkey, bringing the flu death toll to15.

Turkey registered the first A/H1N1 case on May 15. The first victim was a 28-year-old male hospital janitor in Ankara, who died of the A/H1N1 flu on Oct. 24.

As of Sunday, 1,870 people in Turkey had tested positive for A/H1N1 flu since May, according to the statement.

On Monday, Turkey began to vaccinate vulnerable groups against the A/H1N1 flu, starting from health workers and Muslim pilgrims preparing to travel to Mecca for the annual hajj.

Source: Xinhua