The Health Ministry has said that there is no official decree obliging general practitioners to visit patients infected with swine flu at their homes. The announcement followed a protest from GP's in Plovdiv who claim they "were forced to visit sick patients at home".

The Ministry said that private clinics should accept patients infected with H1N1, and that later on they will "be compensated for their services," Dnevnik daily reported late on November 11 2009. Meanwhile, GP can visit patients at home "when they feel it’s necessary".  Under no circumstances, however, should people opt for home administered treatment. They should "seek professional assistance immediately" if they suspect they have the virus.

A 54-year-old man from Turgovishte was the latest fatality claimed by the H1N1 strain on November 11. He was admitted to the Turgovishte hospital with pneumonia and later succumbed to complications stemming from the flu.  

Medical authorities say that in the next 28 days the virus will lose steam in the regions currently most affected in the country. Eventually, the virus will dissipate across Bulgaria and the situation will reach "stabilisation".

Essentially, the strain is most dangerous not on its own but when combined with parallel ailments and when it attacks people with weakened immune systems. It is most dangerous with young children up to the age of four and chronically ill.

"Anti-viral drugs are most effective when administered inside 48 hours following an infection" experts say, quoted by Dnevnik daily.