Bahrain, Aug 25 (Gulf Daily News): A TOP government official yesterday dismissed fears about a possible outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The reassurance comes after two men, an Indian and a Pakistani, in their 30s, were diagnosed with the virus on Monday.

The two are being treated for acute respiratory failure at the Salmaniya Medical Complex's (SMC) intensive care unit.

"The pandemic is over, but the virus is still around - it will be around forever," said Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer.

"It will keep appearing from time to time with other strains of the flu virus."

He said this was the regular flu season in Bahrain.

"We can expect a lot of flu cases and among them can be the H1N1 cases as well," said Dr Al Hamer.

"However, there is no reason to panic. This is not a situation like the one we had before.

"The ministry is fully prepared to deal with any situation that emerges."

SMC chief of medical staff Dr Mohammed Amin Al Awadhi said the cases were not unusual.

"There is always a possibility there could be some swine flu cases among those suffering from ordinary flu," he told the GDN.

"The situation in Bahrain is well under control and there is no reason to panic."

However, Dr Al Awadhi said that efforts were on to determine how many people these two men came into contact with before they reported at the SMC.

"We would like anyone who has any flu symptoms along with a high fever to consult their doctor immediately to be advised on the necessary steps to be taken."

Seven people died in Bahrain after the outbreak was first reported in March last year.

The last death was reported in October when a 48-year-old Bahraini woman died of multiple organ failure.

Around 1,500 people had been affected by the highly-contagious condition, but most had minor to moderate conditions and quickly recovered, according to health officials.

"Sporadic cases will continue to surface from time to time," said Dr Al Awadhi.

"This does not mean the epidemic is back. We shall remain vigilant and report to the World Health Organisation (WHO) if anything is noticed."

The WHO had declared last month the H1N1 swine flu pandemic was over.

It said the world had entered the "post-pandemic period" in which the H1N1 virus had begun acting like - and circulating with - other flu bugs.

The health organisation said the new H1N1 virus had largely run its course.

"H1N1 swine flu is no longer the dominant flu virus," the WHO said in a statement.

"Seasonal flu bugs - H3N2 type A and type B viruses - are being reported."

Meanwhile, the US Department of Health and Human Services said last month people should continue to be careful to some degree.

"The worldwide pandemic may be over, but people will continue to come down with the H1N1 influenza for some years to come," it said.

"The virus will continue to cause disease in younger age groups and pregnant women, at least in the immediate post-pandemic period."

Health officials reported on Monday that two new cases of swine flu were tested positive.

They said that the patients were kept in isolation at the ICU.

The men were put under close medical supervision and their condition is currently critical but stable, according to Dr Al Awadhi.

The official visited the two patients yesterday to inspect all preparations and procedures.

He said that they were quarantined at the ICU and were receiving all necessary treatment by a very competent medical team.

In November last year, thousands of people in Bahrain had received shots of the H1N1 vaccination after more than a million doses were imported by the Health Ministry.

The ministry's H1N1 swine flu hotline also received hundreds of calls every day from people who wanted to know how they could get the vaccination.