ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's health minister urged Turks to avoid kissing or handshaking for the next five months to contain the spread of H1N1, newspapers said Tuesday, after Turkey reported its first known death from the flu virus.

Schools in Turkey's capital Ankara have been closed for a week after the ministry said a 29-year-old patient, treated for pneumonia, died during the weekend after developing sudden respiratory problems. The patient tested positive for swine flu.

(Writing by Ibon Villelabeitia)