More Countries Confirm Swine Flu

New cases of the deadly swine flu virus have been confirmed as far afield as New Zealand and Israel, as the UN warns it cannot be contained.

The US, Canada, Spain and Britain confirmed cases earlier but no deaths have been reported outside Mexico, where the virus was first reported.

Mexico has raised the number of probable deaths to 152, with 1,614 suspected sufferers under observation.

UN inspectors are to examine reports that pig farms spread the virus.

The UN’s health agency, the World Health Organization, confirmed that the flu had spread between humans.

CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES Mexico: 152 suspected deaths – 20 confirmed cases US: 51 confirmed cases Canada: 6 confirmed cases New Zealand: 3 confirmed cases UK, Spain, Israel: 2 confirmed cases each Countries with suspected cases: Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, Australia, and South Korea, and seven EU states

Several countries have issued warnings against travelling to Mexico, but the WHO and the EU’s health chief, Androulla Vassiliou, said such measures would do little to combat the flu’s spread.

WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said experts were working on a vaccine, but said it could take five or six months to develop.

Health experts say the virus comes from the same strain that causes seasonal outbreaks in humans, but also contains genetic material from versions of flu which usually affect pigs and birds.

In New Zealand, Health Minister Tony Ryall said at least three students who had travelled to Mexico had swine flu.

Israeli health officials confirmed on Tuesday that the country now had two people infected with the virus. Both sufferers had recently been to Mexico.

UN alert raised

Fifty-one cases have been confirmed in the US, six in Canada, two in the UK and two in Spain

The EU said patients were also under observation in Denmark, Sweden, Greece, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Ireland.

Tests are being carried out on individuals or groups in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, Australia and South Korea.

A number of countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe have begun screening airport passengers for symptoms, while Germany’s biggest tour operator has suspended trips to Mexico.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is sending a team to Mexico to investigate rumours that people had been falling ill last month near some intensive pig farms.

The WHO raised its pandemic (global epidemic) alert status to level four on Monday – two levels from a full pandemic – after concluding there had been sustained transmission between humans.

Levels five and six are reserved for when there is widespread human infection.

WHO spokesman Mr Hartl said there are a number of cases in New York “which appear to be human-to-human transmission”.

SWINE FLU Swine flu is a respiratory disease thought to spread through coughing and sneezing Symptoms mimic those of normal flu Good hygiene like using a tissue and washing hands thoroughly can help reduce transmission

He said if the New York cases were confirmed, the WHO was likely to raise its alert to level five.

The UN body is encouraging countries to begin intensive surveillance of possible infection.

The WHO said this would help to identify where the virus is, who has it, what its source was and what kind of illness it produced.

In Mexico, swine flu has been confirmed in 20 of the 152 known deaths.

In almost all cases outside Mexico, people have been only mildly ill and have made a full recovery.