San Jose, Jan 7 (EFE).– At least 14 people, including an expat woman from India, have died from the H1N1 flu virus since December in Costa Rica and 22 others remain hospitalized in serious condition, the Health Ministry said.

Northern Costa Rica’s San Carlos hospital had the highest number of fatalities, with six patients dying.

A 3-year-old boy was among the fatalities, the ministry said.

Most of the patients who died exhibited other risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension or drug addiction, Health Minister Fernando Llorca said in a press conference.

“The patients showed complications, such as obesity and heart disease. We have conducted a technical assessment and concluded that the current situation doesn’t warrant the cancellation of mass events,” Llorca said.

The behavior of the virus “is not cause for alarm in the country,” Maria del Rocio Saenz, executive president of the CCSS public health system, said.

“There are no signs that the virus is changing or becoming a new one, as happened in 2009. It is just that the virus is in a special season,” Saenz said.

Officials said the delay in the start of the rainy season last year caused respiratory infections to peak in December instead of October, when infections with these diseases usually rise.

Saenz advised against causing “fear” among the public since the country is not facing an epidemic, adding that people should take the usual precautions, such as washing their hands and covering up when coughing and sneezing.

“This is not the right time for vaccinations. People are spending money and that will create a false sense of security because that will not provide protection” since the new vaccine for 2016 will not arrive in the country until March, Saenz said. EFE