The total number of people infected by A/H1N1 flu in Bangladesh has so far reached 275, as 16 more new cases were detected on Thursday.

"Three of the 16 newly detected patients have arrived in the country from abroad," Mahmudur Rahman, head of the country's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Health Ministry told reporters on Thursday.

Speaking at a media briefing at the IEDCR in Dhaka, Rahman said only those with serious respiratory difficulties and other complications will require to be hospitalized.

The press briefing, however, notified that the resident physicians of large hospitals outside the country's capital are being convened for training on A/H1N1 treatment methods from Sept.5.

Fifteen private hospitals have meantime been brought under the flu management network, Rahman said and added that some more will be included, if necessary.

The government's A/H1N1 flu management system seems to have failed to keep pace with the increasing number of patients as most of the 15 hospitals brought under the system are yet to set up separate corners at their outdoor departments, leading English newspaper the Daily Star reported on Thursday.

It said the government made repeated declarations on preparing the hospitals for A/H1N1 flu management with trained manpower, but patients with flu-like illness are still suffering badly to get treatment from these hospitals.

The report said health professionals are yet to get enough antiviral drugs for treating patients and N95 masks for their own protection.

Following the fast spread of the disease which claimed its first victim in the country, the Bangladeshi government already asked health officials to treat first anyone who displays symptoms of A/ H1N1 flu instead of wasting time to have test report.

A 35-year old female flu positive patient died on Sunday night in a private hospital in Dhaka which was first fatality the country has had since recording its first A/H1N1 case on June 18.