"There are three cases (of death), but that's normal -- this is the season," ministry spokesman Khaled Marghlani told AFP.

Marghlani said the pace of infection from the A(H1N1) flu virus, which sparked fears of a global pandemic last year, was now not distinguishable from generic flu infections.

He said that no special swine flu precautions were being taken for the hajj, as some two million or more Muslims began arriving in the country this week for the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in early November.

Pilgrims were being strongly urged to get seasonal vaccinations for flu, which this year include coverage for swine flu, as recommended by the World Health Organization, Marghlani said.

"The WHO said you should deal with this flu just the same as the regular flu," he said.

H1N1 caused about 18,500 laboratory-confirmed deaths across the world between its first appearance in Mexico and the United States in April 2009 and August 2010, according to WHO figures.

Because many cases were not clinically diagnosed, the actual number of deaths is likely significantly more, WHO officials have said.

Saudi Arabia recorded 124 deaths last year from H1N1 influenza and infections estimated in the low tens of thousands, much less than had been feared.

Extensive vaccination and monitoring programmes were set in place to prevent the spread of the flu as millions jammed together for hajj rituals.

The H1N1 pandemic was officially declared over in August by WHO, Dr. Langoya Opoka of the WHO regional office in Cairo told AFP.

"That doesn't mean the virus is not here, it is still circulating, and it will continue to causes illnesses and may cause death," he said.

"It is no longer considered a pandemic virus, but it may cause small isolated outbreaks just like other seasonal flu strains."

earlier related report
Iran minister warns of 'volcanic explosion of AIDS'
Tehran (AFP) Oct 12, 2010 - Iran's health minister warned on Tuesday that the Islamic republic could see a "volcanic explosion of AIDS" on the back of rising "immoral behaviour" among its people.

"Seven percent of those who have AIDS have been infected because of immoral behaviour and attitudes and because of a rise in such dangerous behaviour. In the future, we could have a volcanic explosion of AIDS in our country," Marzieh Vahid Dastjurdi said at a seminar on AIDS, according to ISNA news agency.

Currently, 22,000 Iranians have been infected by AIDS, she said, adding that the actual figure could be around 80,000 as "generally in the world the actual figure is four times more" than the registered one.

The estimated number "is not high if we compared it with world figures, but it is high for our culture," said Dastjurdi, the only woman in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's cabinet.

"Studies showed that 50 percent of (prostitutes) are infected by AIDS and they can infect others."

Iran has been taking steps to fight the spread of AIDS by making condoms easily available in shops and educating the people of consequences of sex with multiple partners.

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