Brazil's health authorities on Friday confirmed four new deaths of the A/H1N1 flu, bringing the death toll to 33, twice more than in the past five days.

The newly confirmed victims, all from Sao Paulo state in southeastern Brazil, included a four-year-old girl and a 58-year-old man from the state's capital city Sao Paulo. The child had been suffering from asthma and bronchiolitis while the man had serious liver problems, which helped worsen their disease.

The other two victims were both women from the city of Campinas. One of them had been seven months pregnant and the baby was saved.

Sao Paulo state has the highest death toll in the country with 16 victims, followed by Rio Grande do Sul state with 11, Rio de Janeiro state with five, and Parana state with one.

Altogether seven children and four pregnant women were among the A/H1N1 flu deaths in Brazil.

Municipal and state governments in Brazil adopted a series of measures to contain the quick spread of the disease.

State of emergency was declared in several towns in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Six health centers exclusive for the A/H1N1 flu were established in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and another three will be available next week. In Sao Paulo state, students showing any flu symptoms were recommended not to go to school. Schools in several towns in the country have either suspended classes or extended the winter vacations.

According to the health ministry's latest data released on Thursday, 1,566 cases of the A/H1N1 flu were confirmed in Brazil, with another 8,328 suspected cases.

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2009)