Peru's Health Ministry reported on Sunday two deaths from A/H1N1 flu, the first two deaths in the nation.

The total number of flu cases in the country has risen to 916, of which 607 have recovered, Health Minister Oscar Ugarteos told media.

The first flu victim was a woman aged 38 who suffered high blood pressure and was overweight. She died in a hospital in the capital of Lima.

The second death was a four-year-old girl with Down Syndrome who also died in a hospital in Lima.

"Both of the patients have received appropriate treatment," Ugarte said.

According to the minister, most of the flu cases in the country have been reported in Lima and the nearby Callao province. Seven other provinces have also reported flu cases.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2009)