The number of suspected cases of the A/H1N1 flu in Brazil has reached 15, the country's health ministry said in a report on Tuesday.

The suspected cases are spread over the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, and the Federal District.

On Monday, the number of suspected cases totaled 14.

The ministry also said that 16 other patients in eight states are being monitored by the authorities, down from 20 on Monday.

The number of cases in which patients were diagnosed as other diseases reached 311, up from 308 on Monday.

The number of confirmed cases remained at nine since May 21, with three cases in Sao Paulo state, three in Rio, and one each in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

Six of those patients were infected by the virus during international trips, and two were infected in the Brazilian territory.

The ministry stated that there is no evidence of sustained domestic transmission of the virus.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 12,954 people have been infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus in 46 countries.

The WHO said that among those infected 80 died in Mexico, 10 in the United States, one in Canada and one in Costa Rica.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2009)