BANGKOK - Two people have died from the H1N1 influenza virus in Thailand, the Public Health Ministry said on Saturday, the first deaths since the virus was detected in the country six weeks ago.

A 42-year-old Thai man died early Saturday and a 40-year-old local woman succumbed to the virus in a private hospital on June 20, the Public Health Ministry said.

The ministry said it was only informed of the woman's death late on Friday. Thailand has so far reported more than 1,200 cases of the new flu.

(Reporting by Papitchaya Boonngok; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Sugita Katyal)