Saudi health authorities said on Thursday that a toddler was confirmed to be infected with influenza A/H1N1, becoming the third such case in the Gulf Arab country.

Saudi Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabia said the three and a half years old boy, who, along with his family, returned from the United States on Sunday, has tested positive for the novel flu, the official SPA news agency said.

The boy was admitted into a Riyadh hospital on Wednesday when he began showing symptoms of the influenza, and medical check-up confirmed that he has been infected, Rabia said.

Saudi Arabia reported its first influenza A/H1N1 case on June 3, a Philippine nurse of about 40 years old, who arrived in Riyadh from her annual vacation during which she has visited some Asian countries.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it has elevated its pandemic alert to Phase 6 on a six-point scale, but said that the pandemic is moderate.

A total of 74 countries and regions have officially reported 27,737 cases of the A/H1N1 flu inflection, including 141 deaths, as of Wednesday, the latest WHO tally shows.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2009)