Jordan reports five swine flu deaths since Jan 1

Five people have died in Jordan since the beginning of the year from swine flu, the health ministry said Sunday, adding that it has recorded 130 cases of the virus.

"The health ministry has this year registered five deaths from the H1N1 virus and 30 cases," a senior ministry official told a news conference.

Daifallah Lozi said the deaths included elderly people, children under five and those with chronic ailments.

He urged Jordanians to seek vaccination against the H1N1 strain of flu, which has now killed 30 people in the country since 2009.

The World Health Organisation declared the swine flu pandemic over in August 2010, more than a year after the H1N1 virus that emerged from Mexico sparked panic and killed thousands of people worldwide.