The A/H1N1 flu has claimed the lives of 17 persons so far in Afghanistan, a press release of Public Health Ministry issued here Saturday said.

"The seventieth person has fallen victim to A/H1N1 in Afghanistan," the press release added.

So far, according to the press release, 853 individuals including 813 men and 40 women have been affected by the disease in the war-torn Afghanistan.

However, it did not specify how many of those affected by the virus are Afghans and how many are foreigners.

The disease detected couple of months ago, according to the latest report of the Public Health Ministry, has claimed the lives of 17 people across the country while authorities have been trying to check the new epidemic in the economically impoverished country.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2009)