WHO: Swine Flu Spreads to 29 Countries
By VOA News
09 May 2009
The World Health Organization announced Saturday that the new H1N1 swine flu virus has spread to 29 countries, while Costa Rica reported its first death and Mexico reported three additional deaths.
The WHO said the number of confirmed swine flu cases around the world has risen to 3,440 with the latest infections reported in Argentina, Panama, Australia and Japan.
Costa Rica is the first Central American country to report a swine flu death.
Mexican raised its death toll to 48 and the number of confirmed cases by 259, to nearly 1,600 (1,578).
Health Ministry spokesman Carlos Olmos said the latest deaths involved previously suspected cases and took place May 6 and before.
Canada has reported one swine flu death and the death toll in the United States remains at two.
The British government has announced it has decoded the genetic information of the virus, bringing it a step closer to developing a swine flu vaccine.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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