Brazil's Health Ministry announced on Monday the confirmation of 20 new cases of A/H1N1 flu, which brought the total to 905 in the country.

The new cases are spread over five states: seven in Rio Grande do Sul six in Parana, three in Goias, three in Sao Paulo and one in Rio Grande do Norte.

Most of the infected patients have already been discharged or are recovering from the disease, the Ministry said.

So far, the A/H1N1 flu has killed one person in Brazil, a 29-year-old truck driver from Rio Grande do Sul state.

The Health Ministry also informed that there are 1,414 patients suspected of having contracted the A/H1N1flu in the country, who are being tested in order to confirm the contagion. Additionally, the Ministry said, the A/H1N1 flu has been discarded in 1,203 cases.

According to the Ministry, about 60 percent of the Brazilian patients were infected during international trips, mostly to Argentina, the US, and Chile. Other 23 percent were infected in Brazilian territory, and the remaining cases are being investigated.

Despite the increasing domestic transmission cases, the Ministry said that the A/H1N1 virus is not circulating in the country and that domestic transmission is restricted.

So far, there are about 94,500 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu in the world, according to the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease has already killed 429 people worldwide.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2009)