Peruvian President Alan Garcia on Thursday urged the Peruvians to stay calm and take preventive measures to avoid a pandemic now called Human flu or flu A H1N1.

Garcia said that Peru will defeat the pandemic threat the same way it is overcoming the world economic crisis.

"If we take all the preventive and necessary measures we can defeat the infection. Each mother, father, school principal and leader is responsible for making each citizen to take necessary measures to prevent the infection and spread of the disease," Garcia said at the inauguration of a health clinic in Lima.

Garcia asked the people to use masks and suggested that such actions as hugging, shaking hands or kissing while greeting people be avoided for the time being to avoid the danger of spreading the virus.

Garcia also suggested preventive measures to be taken at crowded places.

The Peruvian Health Ministry said on Wednesday that they have detected a possible case of H1N1 in an Argentine citizen in transit between Mexico and Argentina.

A final test is needed to confirm her case and at the time the patient "is recovering with a treatment of retroviral," said the health ministry.