SECOND RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL SUSPENDED DUE TO SWINE FLU

On 9 July 2009 health authorities in Iquique province suspended the fiesta de San Lorenzo, which approximately 70,000 people celebrate each year, due to fears of an outbreak of the A/H1N1 virus. On 1 July health authorities in Iquique province announced the suspension of La Tirana festival -- Chile's largest religious annual festival, which is usually celebrated on 16 July -- due to fears of an A/H1N1 outbreak. More than 200,000 people celebrate the fiesta de La Tirana each year. The Tarapaca region, in which Iquique is located, reports 3,000 swine flu cases, the third-highest number in the country, after the Los Lagos and Los Rios regions