Iranian health officials said on Tuesday that 200 Iranians are suspected of having been infected with the influenza A/H1N1 virus, local satellite Press TV reported.

"While we have only had one confirmed case of A/H1N1 flu, 200 others are suspected of the disease," head of Iran's disease control center under the Health Ministry Mohammad-Mehdi Gouya said.

Iranian "health authorities have decided to enforce restrictions on Hajj pilgrimage as the latest figures showed 150 individuals have tested positive for A/H1N1 flu in Saudi Arabia," Gouya was quoted as saying.

In June, Iran's Ministry of Health announced the first case of influenza A/H1N1 in the country, the official IRNA news agency reported.

A 16-year-old teenager returning from the United States was tested positive, the report said, quoting Iran's Health Ministry.

The ministry advised Iranians to avoid unnecessary trips to countries such as Mexico, Canada, Thailand, Britain and Germany which witness a high rate of the novel flu.

As a means to confront the flu epidemic disease in the country, Iran has established a committee which includes four ministers and two vice presidents.

The influenza A/H1N1 is a contagious respiratory disease which is a mixture of bird, pig and human gene. The virus can spread to people through contact with infected pigs and infected persons.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2009)