Costa Rica Reports 14 Deaths From H1N1 'Swine Flu' Virus Including a Three-Year Old; 4 Things You Should Know About This Disease

The H1N1 Swine flu virus spreading in Costa Rica has claimed 14 lives including that of a three-year-old boy, health officials announced.

The Costa Rican Health Ministry said that there are at least 14 dead from the H1N1 virus since December last year. A three-year-old boy and a woman from India were included in the toll. More than 20 are in serious condition and have been hospitalized in various parts of the country including the Costa Rican San Carlos hospital which treated six of the patients who died from the disease.

"There are 14 confirmed cases given by the influenza laboratory," said Health Minister Fernando Llora, in a press conference via Yahoo. He added that it is the same virus that caused a pandemic in the country in 2009 but the only change it brought was the season it arrived.

Additionally, a majority of the patients who succumbed to the disease had various risk factors including diabetes, obesity, drug addiction and hypertension.

"The patients showed complications, such as obesity and heart disease. We have conducted a technical assessment and concluded that the current situation doesn't warrant the cancellation of mass events," said Llorca, as reported by Fox News Latino.

However, the incident is not to be feared as it is not causing an epidemic, says the executive president of the CCSS public health system Maria del Rocio Saenz.

"There are no signs that the virus is changing or becoming a new one, as happened in 2009. It is just that the virus is in a special season," Saenz said.

She recommends taking the usual steps to prevent being infected by flu such as regular hand washing.

According to the health officials, the delay of the rainy season may be the cause the rise of respiratory infections in December.

To prepare for any sudden influx of infection, Costa Rica hospitals have increased helpful equipment and personnel to combat the disease, according to Costa Rican Times. Several hospitals including the San Juan de Dios and Hospital Mexico have taken steps to be able to provide adequate treatment for possible patients.

The H1N1 swine flue respiratory disease is caused by the similar influenza virus that infects pigs. According to WebMD, the virus spreads the same way that seasonal flu virus but you cannot get it from eating pork and other pork products.

If not treated, it could escalate to serious health problems including lung infection, breathing problems and pneumonia. The best prevention strategy against the swine flu virus is frequent hand washing, good hygiene and a flu vaccine.