Armenia’s chief infection specialist said today that Armenia’s institutes of higher education may be closed early for winter break, due to the spread of seasonal flu.

The threat of flu – swine and otherwise -- in Armenia has apparently led people to buy more garlic as an unconventional means of prevention, a situation that sellers have taken advantage of by quickly altering price tags.

Garlic is considered to have a certain preventive and even therapeutic effect when used before and during flu and common cold symptoms. Now it has proved to be a cash crop for some Armenian merchants.

Armenia's chief infection specialist Ara Asoyan’s appeared on Public Television over the weekend calling for the immediately closure of schools throughout Armenia as a precaution against the spread of seasonal flu.

The doctor’s call raised concern and some alarm among the public, and prompted health officials to meet today (December 7) to discuss the situation. A decision is expected to be reached Monday or Tuesday on whether it is necessary to close public schools.

A low level of tolerance in society is a major obstacle to the prevention of HIV/AIDS as people in vulnerable groups feel the fear of becoming ostracized, according to nongovernmental organizations dealing with related issues.

December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day. A number of NGOs engaged in preventing the spread of the disease in Armenia are planning a march in Yerevan today “to break the indifference and discrimination” towards people living with HIV/AIDS.

Swine flu has apparently claimed a victim in Armenia. The Ministry of Health has confirmed that a 51-year-old man with A/H1N1 symptoms died at Yerevan’s Nork infection hospital last Friday.

Armenia’s chief infection specialist Ara Asoyan told ArmeniaNow on Tuesday that although the deceased was hospitalized with swine flu symptoms, it is early yet to confirm the cause of death. He said it could take up to three weeks before they could either certify or disprove that suspicion.

According to the Ministry of Health of Armenia, the number of people infected with H1N1, (commonly known as swine flue) in Armenia has reached 15, but officials insist there is no cause for panic and there is no epidemic in the country.

As Shushan Hunanyan, assistant to the Minister of Health of Armenia, told ArmeniaNow, currently eight people are undergoing a course of medical treatment at the Nork Infection hospital in Yerevan.

Late autumn known as a period of common cold and “ordinary” seasonal grippe this year has caused greater anxiety in Armenia against the backdrop of continuing reports from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and other regional neighbors about “raging” swine flu.

But Armenian health authorities say there is no need to panic. They have so far reported no swine flu case in Armenia despite the fact that it is quickly spreading in neighboring countries and countries with which Armenia has close ties.

Armenia still remains unaffected by the world’s latest outbreak of swine influenza, according to a representative of Armenia’s Health Ministry.

All of Armenia’s regional neighbors, meanwhile, have reported swine flu cases.