The swine flu has claimed its second fatality in Bulgaria, in the town of Samokov on October 29. And in the aftermath of the closure of schools on October 28 in Tryavna and Yambol a total of 37 children have been taken into medical care for treatment against the H1N1 strain, Dr.Svetla Branekova, director of the multi-profile Hospital for Active Treatment in Tryavna, told Focus news agency on October 29 2009.

According to the medical authorities, of the 37 children, 26 are confirmed to be carriers of the influenza, whereas the remaining 11 are being checked to see if they are infected with the swine flu or its seasonal equivalent.

Meanwhile, a woman has been taken into hospital in Bourgas and placed in isolation on October 29 having displayed the symptoms pf the H1N1 strain.

Additionally, the Hristo Botev school in the town of Sungurlare was sealed off on October 29, having become the latest institution hit by the pandemic, Sungurlare mayor Georgi Kenov told Radio Focus.

The worst affected regions in the country are Yambol, Shoumen, Pleven, Lovech, Bourgas and Gabrovo, with Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna also registering increasing cases of the new influenza, according to Dr Angel Kunchev from the contagious diseases department in the Health Ministry, quoted by Dnevnik daily.

Meanwhile, in Yambol, the situation is significantly worse in the secondary school of mathematics where 247 "confirmed and tangibly sick children" carried on attending classes and interacting with fellow pupils in spite of their condition.

"We have 247 out of 800 students confirmed sick, and they still came to school. We kept telling people that, should they experience the virus, they should remain at home and avoid contact," said Dr Angel Kunchev from the infectious disease department of the Health Ministry. The school has since been closed.

Regardless of the ever increasing cases of infected people nationwide, Kunchev said that there is "no need to panic as 90 per cent of the cases are mild or moderate," Bulgarian National Television (BNT) quoted him as saying on October 29 2009.

According to Kunchev, the strain is widespread across Bulgaria but there is no need for general alarm. In one of the Samokov cases, the deceased was a drug addict with "seriously weakened immune system and his reluctance to seek proper medical assistance at an early stage played a major effect in his demise".

"The disease will peak in the next two to three months, but I maintain that people should remain calm," he said.