TUNIS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Avian influenza has caused the death of 45 people with H1N1 virus in Tunisia since the beginning of winter, a health official said on Wednesday.

"Most cases of death concern patients over the age of 50, particularly those who are chronically ill, or who have not followed the instructions of the National Plan for the Prevention of Seasonal Influenza launched by Ministry of Health", said Insaf Ben Alaya, Director of the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases.

"Almost all of these deaths were recorded in the four provinces of the Grand Tunis area and the province of Bizerte (extremely north of the country)," said Alaya.

The official also said that no less than 300 people are in hospitalization for intensive care including some cases qualified as critical.

"Currently, the rate of infection with this virus is 7.2 percent, in a downward curve. We have not yet crossed the epidemic phase, but the situation remains under control", assured Alaya.

The Director General of Health Ministry, Nabiha Borsali, insisted in a media note that vaccination represents a better protection against this virus, especially for elderly people over 60, pregnant women, overweight individuals as well as infants.