Eighteen U.S. soldiers have been confirmed infected with the influenza A/H1N1 virus during transit in Kuwait, a local Kuwaiti newspaper website reported on Sunday.

The U.S. military personnel in their Kuwaiti bases, tested positive for the flu, are the first cases reported in Kuwait, the daily Kuwait Times report said, citing a U.S. report.

Kuwait's Health Ministry has confirmed on Saturday that some U. S. soldiers who used Kuwait as a transit point were infected with the fatal influenza that has hit dozens of nations worldwide, but did not have the number of the U.S. soldiers.

Kuwaiti Health Ministry Undersecretary Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi told the official KUNA news agency that the U.S. soldiers had been completely quarantined in their military base located in Arifjan, 70 km south of the capital city, and given appropriate medication.

As the infected soldiers did not have any contact with the Kuwaiti population, Kuwait is safe from the novel flu, and was following recommendations and measures of the World Health Organization (WHO).

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2009)