On Monday, May 18 the Greek health ministry confirmed the first case of swine flu, the H1N1A flu strain. It was detected in a 19-year-old Greek student after he returned from the US. The young man in question has been isolated in a medical unit.  

"He had been in the US from the beginning of the year, and returned to Greece on Saturday. He showed no symptoms on the flight home. He started displaying symptoms from midday on Sunday," deputy health minister George Papageorgiou said, as reported by Reuters.

According to Greek authorities, there is no need for general alarm because the man's flu is reportedly a "mild" case and he is said to be in "a good condition". He is being treated at Athens' Seismanoglou Hospital. Officials said that precautionary tests would be conducted on other passengers on the plane.

Reportedly, the college student felt unwell early on Sunday and when examined he was told he had the symptoms of H1N1. He was first taken to the hospital by his father in the early hours of Monday after experiencing a cough and high fever. Once the young man had been hospitalised and isolated, members of his family were also taken in for tests.

After initial tests were conducted, he was told there was no evidence that he was ill. Later, however, an ambulance was summoned to bring him back to Seismanoglou after the second test proved positive, showing he had swine flu, Earth Times reported.

The World Health Organization said on Monday that the H1N1 flu strain, also known as swine flu, was spreading fast in Japan and the world might be seeing an influenza pandemic unfold.

In light of the first case of swine flu in the country, the Greek health ministry has revealed that it has "strategic stocks" of Tamiflu and other anti-virus medicines to treat 12 percent of the country's 11 million population. Two hospitals in Athens were equipped to treat swine flu patients, they said.