The Brazilian health authorities confirmed on Thursday afternoon four deaths from A/H1N1 flu in the country, bringing the total to 11.

The four new victims were from the southern Rio Grande do Sul state. Bordering Argentina, where 155 people died from the disease, the state saw a sharp rise in A/H1N1 flu cases over the past weeks.

Among the 11 victims, there were seven in Rio Grande do Sul state, three in Sao Paulo state and one in Rio de Janeiro state. Altogether these three states had two thirds of Brazil's 1,175 A/H1N1 flu cases.

Health Minister Jose Goes Temporao admitted that the A/H1N1 flu virus was spreading in Brazil. The ministry claimed that domestic infections were limited and all cases were related to a patient infected on overseas trips.

However, the minister said, an 11-year-old girl in San Paulo, who died on June 30 from the flu, had no contact with people infected abroad. Her case confirmed the community transmission of A/H1N1 flu in the country.

Brazil is the eighth country to report community transmission of A/H1N1 flu.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2009)