Costa Rican President Oscar Arias was infected with influenza A/H1N1, Legislative Assembly President Francisco Antonio Pacheco confirmed on Tuesday.
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Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias walks in his residence after a meeting with Spanish Vice President Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, Ibero-American General Secretary Enrique Iglesias and Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Jose Miguel Insulza in San Jose in this file picture taken Aug. 3, 2009. Arias is suffering from the H1N1 virus, the government said on Aug. 11, 2009, making him the first head of state known to have contracted swine flu.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
"The president had a flu and he requested to be tested and they confirmed it... but he looks fine. I just talked with someone who have been talking with him," Pacheco told local press.
The Costa Rican government announced it would confirm Arias' health conditions in the coming hours.
According to the latest report from the Costa Rican health authorities, 27 patients have died from A/H1N1 flu and 798 were infected.
(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2009)