An outbreak of swine flu in two south-eastern provinces of Iran has killed at least 33 people over the last three weeks, state media report. Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali-Akbar Sayyari told the official IRNA news agency 28 had died in Kerman province and five in Sistan-Baluchistan. He warned that the outbreak was likely to spread to other areas of the country, including Tehran. Swine flu is a strain of the influenza virus known as H1N1. The strain first appeared in Mexico in 2009 and rapidly spread around the world. Another Iranian news agency, ISNA, reported that around 600 people had received hospital treatment after contracting the virus in Kerman province.
An outbreak of swine flu in two south - eastern provinces of Iran has killed at least 33 people , with warnings that it is likely to spread in the coming days to Tehran , West and East Azerbaijan and Kermanshah Province , amongst other regions . Swine flu is a strain of the human virus known as H1N1 , which originated in Mexico in 2009 and has rapidly spread around the world . Local reports suggest that around 600 people have received hospital treatment in the past three weeks after contracting the virus . Iran 's Deputy Health Minister , Ali Akbar Sayyari has called for limited travel during a three - day holiday weekend , which is due to start on Thursday , in order to prevent the spread of the virus .