KHAN YUNIS, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Health Ministry announced that a number of people have been infected with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. The Gazan health sector is already in a disastrous situation following the war this summer.

Despite the Health Ministry's announcement that swine flu does not pose a threat to public health and that there have been only a small, if unspecified, number of cases, media reports about a death from swine flu raised public concerns. Officials refused to confirm whether swine flu was responsible for the death.

At the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, where these cases are being treated, Al-Monitor met with a relative of Ahmed al-Farra. The 37-year-old is believed to have died at the hospital from H1N1. The relative recounted how Ahmed fell ill. "On the evening of Tuesday [Dec. 2], Ahmed had a high temperature, severe cough and was experiencing shortness of breath. He headed to the hospital's emergency department, underwent treatment for a normal flu and left the hospital that same day."

"But three days later, his condition worsened. He returned to the hospital and requested an X-ray, and the results showed that he had severe pneumonia. He stayed in the hospital and it was decided to transfer him to the intensive care unit, where he remained on a ventilator. The hospital coordinated with International Patient Care to transfer him to a hospital inside the Green Line on Sunday, Dec. 7," the relative added.