Seven new cases of A(H1N1)v flu type or the so-called swine flu were confirmed in Lithuania on July 30, reports news agency ELTA. Presently, there are 22 people diagnosed with this virus in the country. According to data from the Healthcare Ministry, all seven are under 30 years old. The new cases of A(H1N1)v were confirmed after analyzing samples received from Panevezys, Vilnius, Kaunas, Prienai. The data so far show that there are 39 cases of swine flu registered in Estonia, 18 cases in Latvia.
On the morning of Aug. 4 a ship with five Lithuanian nationals on board was attacked and captured near the Nigerian coast, reports news agency ELTA. According to the Foreign Ministry, the ship Saturnas, owned by Limarko Laivininkystes Kompanija and sailing under the Lithuanian flag was attacked with the five Lithuanian crew members taken as hostages on a motor boat to an unknown location. The ship owner's CEO, Vytautas Lygnugaris, says the ship is carrying frozen fish. "The ship was berthed and waiting for unloading in the morning. People armed with automatic weapons approached by boat. They did not try to get anything from the ship, but captured five people who were guarding it and left," said Lydnugaris. Nobody was injured during the attack and the rest of the crew is fine. According to Lygnugaris, the crew "can defend themselves from the attackers only by releasing a strong water jet in order to wash them overboard, or by trying to push away their ladders," adding that "However, when there are more attackers, these measures do not really work." This is the first case when Lithuania has to independently rescue its nationals from the grips of pirates; however, these sailors are not the first Lithuanians captured by pirates.
