Afghanistan has taken emergency measures to check the spread of the Mexican flu.

All schools and children’s shelters have been closed for three weeks. The government has also advised the public to avoid large public gatherings.

Afghanistan’s Minister of Health says 350 people in the country are infected with the A(H1N1) virus and that most of them are foreigners. Last week saw the country’s first death from the virus.

Observers say that if no measures are taken, at least 22 percent of the Afghan population will be infected.  The World Health Organisation has made one million flu vaccines available to Kabul.

Photo of Primary school class in Afghanistan from United Nations' photostream