At least 10 people have died of swine flu in Myanmar, prompting country to seek aid from the World Health Organisation.
The Ministry of Health confirmed three people admitted in hospitals in Yangon died during the weekend after contracting the virus, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.
The health authorities revealed between July 21 and 30, 182 people were hospitalised with respiratory problems, of which 51 were tested positive for H1N1.
The Health Ministry submitted a report to WHO on the swine flu situation requesting assistance to contain the virus and the provision of vaccines, medicines and detection equipment, among others.
Health authorities have begun distributing face masks and providing information on, for example, hand washing, as well as a recommendation on visiting the doctor when getting the flu-like symptoms that do not subside in two days.
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The swine flu outbreak has led authorities to postpone the Taung Byone festival, a large folk and religious celebration held annually in the northern city of Mandalay, that was slated to begin on Tuesday.
Myanmar has not experienced an H1N1 influenza outbreak since the 2009 global pandemic, in which dozens of people in the country were infected.
