Three persons have died since the start of the year, from the H1N1 influenza.

And, three other persons are reportedly now in hospital, being treated for the contagious h1n1 virus.

This was revealed by the Health Ministry today (Mar 29) following public concerns about the flu virus, in the wake of claims, that the wife of a popular radio personality died from complications associated with the H1N1 virus.

Irie FM News also understands that a man from Portmore reportedly died recently from similar complications.

Director of Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services in the Health Ministry, Dr Nicole Dawkins Wright, declined to confirm or deny, if the 3 recorded deaths included the 2 noted cases.

When asked why the ministry did not alert the public, Dr. Dawkins Wright says, an alert about severe influenza, was made last month.

When asked why there was no follow-up specific alert regarding H1N1, which is a more severe form of the illness, Dr. Dawkins Wright says, the ministry was careful not to single out H1N1.

She notes that the threshold for alerting the public to an epidemic is 15.