An indigenous community living in isolation in an Amazon jungle region within Venezuela is reported to have been infected with swine flu.

Survival International which champions the interests of indigenous peoples, says seven members of the Yanomami tribe have already died of the flu. About 1000 are reported to be infected with the A(H1N1) virus responsible for the disease (known as Mexican flu in the Netherlands).

The Venezuelan government has deployed medical teams to the area but it is feared many more Yanomami will become infected and die. Their isolation means they have little resistance to viruses coming from outside their community.

In the 1980s, many members of the tribe died after contracting flu or malaria. The diseases were brought to the jungle community by people prospecting for gold. About 32,000 Yanomami live in the border area between Venezuela and Brazil.

photo: Yanomami women (Survival International)