Bahrain's health officials yesterday urged the public not to panic after a 41-year-old woman tested positive for swine flu.

The patient is kept in isolation at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) and remains in a critical condition, a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN) quoting sources said.

The Ethiopian reportedly walked into the SMC Accident and Emergency department with high fever, urinary tract infection and other complications on February 3.

"This was an isolated case detected during routine examination when the patient walked into the hospital with high fever and other complications," confirmed sources.

"Samples collected from the patient were tested and the results showed positive for H1N1 virus."

Bahrain has not yet activated the emergency protocol that calls for mandatory screening of travellers arriving at the country's borders, the report quoted Health Ministry hospital affairs assistant under-secretary Dr Ameen Al Saati as saying.

But he said precautionary measures were being taken.

Health Promotion Directorate director Dr Amal Al Jowder said tests had been conducted on individuals, who were in close proximity with the Ethiopian woman.

"There are still several tests to be conducted before the final results are out," she said.

Dr Al Jowder urged the public not to panic and said to maintain a healthy immune system people should eat the right food and regularly wash their hands.

"Those suffering from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and other ailments should take extra care and take their medicines on time," she said.

"The immune system of every individual is different.

"There could be cases of people who were in close proximity with a person who contracted H1N1 and yet they may not get infected."

Dr Al Jowder said ministry officials will meet on Sunday to discuss ways of tackling swine flu.

The last H1N1 case registered in Bahrain was in September 2012 when a 41-year-old Indian man died of the virus, after contracting it while on vacation in Kerala.

Around 1,500 people had been affected by the highly-contagious condition, but most had minor to moderate conditions and quickly recovered.

In 2010, the WHO had declared the H1N1 swine flu pandemic was over.

It said the world had entered the "post-pandemic period" in which the H1N1 virus had begun acting like - and circulating with - other flu bugs. - TradeArabia News Service