Sheesha smokers could be contributing to the spread of the swine flu, it has been claimed.

According to the Bahrain Anti-Smoking Society, sheesha pipes are an ideal tool for users to catch the virus since they are often passed from person to person.

'This is a real threat and all sheesha users should be careful,' said society vice-president Dr Kadhem Al Halwachi.

'We have already been told smokers are at an increased risk of getting complications from the swine flu because a smoker's lungs are already compromised.'

Health officials last week added smokers to a list of 'high risk' individuals who could contract the H1N1 virus.

Public health and primary care assistant under-secretary Dr Mariam Al Jalahma had said smokers' lungs were already weakened, so the virus, which affects the respiratory system, was more dangerous for them than for non-smokers.

She said smokers were as much at risk as cardiac patients, diabetics, children under five and those suffering from morbid obesity.

The warning has since been included in the Health Ministry's swine flu awareness campaign.-TradeArabia News Service