Test results have shown that a recent spate of flu-like symptoms in Prey Veng province was caused by the H1N1 swine flu – which is now regarded as a seasonal flu.

A post on the Ministry of Health’s communicable diseases department’s Facebook page on Saturday said as many as 437 people were sick.

Ministry of Health spokesman Ly Sovann said not all villagers had flu-like symptoms but they panicked and wanted to be checked by a doctor. Neak Loeung Referral Hospital chief Kieng Dara said about 107 people from Chak Klanh village were sent to the referral hospital on Saturday, but only 10 were admitted as inpatients. The rest received medicine for their fever and antibiotics before being sent home.

Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng and WHO Cambodia representatives visited the hospital over the weekend, Dara said. “We kept the 10 at the hospital because their temperature was very high,” he said. But “there are no life-threatening [cases]”.

Of the 10 inpatients, six had their blood drawn, Dara said.

Sovann said that based on the results from the samples, officials made a conclusion that the culprit was the seasonal flu. But he warned that people also need to be careful with the dengue fever this time of year.

Peamro commune chief Eur Luch said health officials provided medication to about 550 people in the village.