H1N1 FLU: SIX IN TEN ITALIANS 'NOT WORRIED'

H1N1 FLU: SIX IN TEN ITALIANS 'NOT WORRIED'

(ANSA) - Rome, October 30 - Six in ten Italians are not afraid of contracting the H1N1 flu virus, a study by socioeconomic think-tank Censis revealed Friday.

Over 61.4% of those questioned said they were unconcerned about the virus, which has killed 11 people in Italy since September, five of whom died this week.

Residents in the northeast of the country were the least fearful, with 25% saying they were concerned about the virus compared to 49% of participants in the south.

Nearly 68% of men and 75% of Italians with a college degree said the new flu didn't worry them, while 37% of all those unconcerned with the pandemic said the media had blown it out of proportion.

Despite the prevalent lack of concern over the virus, only 25% of Italians thought the national health system was adequately prepared to contain it.

According to Censis, Italians had the same reaction to threats of a Bird Flu Outbreak in 2005, even after a top United Nations health official said it could kill up to 150 million people worldwide.

The survey came out a day after Junior Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio announced the virus was spreading through Italy faster than any other country in the European Union infecting over 400,000 people.

Up until Thursday, the health ministry's estimates for the pandemic in Italy had been far more conservative.

But Fazio said despite the rapid spread of the virus, ''this is still a mild flu,'' pointing out that the 11 deaths in Italy so far indicated a mortality rate ''ten times lower than seasonal influenza''.