Thailand confirms first two swine flu cases

The country becomes the 31st country that was hit by the virus so far.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said tests carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and Thai Medical Science Department had confirmed the A(H1N1) virus in samples from the two Thai nationals.

"There are two confirmed cases of A(H1N1), both of them contracted from Mexico," he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had earlier announced the first case, saying that the patient had "fully recovered and has returned home".

"The US CDC has confirmed that the sample we sent is swine flu," he said.