QUITO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador decided to request 900,000 vaccines from the Pan American Health Organization (PHO) against the A/H1N1 flu on Thursday as the death toll in the country rose from 44 to 55.

    The vaccines, which were due to arrive as soon as possible, "will be given to the people with more risks and maybe to the health workers," said Ecuadorian National Health Director Carmen Laspina.

    The Ecuadorian health authorities have reported 1,650 A/H1N1 flu cases so far, including 55 deaths. The latest case was in the Galapagos Islands.

    The Public Health Ministry said in a statement that the spread of the flu pandemic forced more international preventive measures to stop the surge of the disease.

    Among the flu patients were Minister of Political Coordination Ricardo Patino, a bodyguard of President Rafael Correa, as well as the presidential Security Chief Col. John Merino, who died Sunday after being hospitalized for one month.

    Despite a reduction in infections in big cities like Quito and Guayaquil, the ministry said the epidemic had the tendency "of moving to smaller and remote places like the Amazons provinces, where the health condition is poor."

    Ever since the outbreak of the pandemic, health authorities have been developing an efficient strategy, the ministry added.

    Also on Thursday, the Chilean Health Ministry said the fatal cases of the A/H1N1 flu in the country had reached 132.

    According to a report of the ministry, since the first case was reported on May 17, the health authorities had confirmed 12,205 cases. Among the victims, 1,561 were in grave condition.

    Currently, the pandemic has slowed down since fewer people were being infected with the virus, the report concluded.

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu