Panama's Heath Minister Rosario Turner confirmed on Friday the country's first case of A/H1N1 flu, a young man who traveled to the United States recently.

Turner said at a press conference that the patient was quarantined in his house, so were his relatives and people who had contact with him.

"The patient is in a stable condition and is being treated in his house," she said.

The patient returned from the United States 14 days ago, and developed flu-like symptoms shortly afterwards. The infection was confirmed through laboratory tests, she said.

Turner said the Panamanian sanitary authorities will continue with nationwide contingency measures to keep the virus from spreading.

"We will strengthen the epidemic vigilance, the control at airports and the education of people," she said.

Turner also said that so far, there have been 34 suspected cases, among whom 27 were discarded and seven are waiting for test results.

Meanwhile, Gladis Guerrero, director of Epidemiology Department of the Health Ministry, said it is not necessary to suspend school activities.

The contingency measures adopted by the Panamanian government include the purchase of 70,000 doses of Tamiflu and the establishment of a fund of 5 million U.S. dollars against the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2009)