TEHRAN- Twenty two 22 people have lost their lives in the wake of a recent influenza outbreak in Iran, Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh-Hashemi confirmed on Sunday.

The minister added that 16 people have died in the southeastern province of Kerman and the reset in other provinces such as Sistan-Balouchestan Province, the IRNA News agency reported.

Qazizadeh-Hashemi said that the H1N1 virus is one of the seasonal and ordinary types of flu which claims lives of many people every year.

However, he added, this year the death toll seems to have increased a bit more compared to previous years because of the traffic of foreign nationals from the eastern neighboring countries.

H1N1 virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Symptoms in people include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

PT/MG