IN THE MIDST of an influenza outbreak  in which the H1N1 virus has claimed 18 lives Panama’s Health Minister  Francisco Javier Terrientes,   has submitted his resignation to President Juan Carlos Varela.

The outbreak, which has been called an “epidemiological alert"   has, until Monday, June 13, hospitalized 607, of whom 220 have already been discharged.

West Panama, Colon, David, Santiago, San Miguelito and Aguadulce, are some of the areas where deaths have occurred.

Health clinics have been working extra hours to provide free vaccination to  scores of thousands  of people.

The announcement of Terrientes ’resignation came on Tuesday after the president  announced that the Health Committee for Coordination and Communication on Influenza confirmed that, a consignment of 300,000  influenza vaccines will arrive from France on Friday.

During the weekend vaccinations will be available to  the entire population,  in premises of the Ministry of Health and Social Security.