WHO: swine flu infects 29 countries

Sun, 10 May 2009

Image of newly-identified H1N1 influenza virus obtained at the CDC Influenza Laboratory.

The World Health Organization announced Saturday that the H1N1 (swine) flu virus has spread to 29 countries and confirmed 3440 cases of infection.

The WHO said the latest infections are reported in Argentina, Panama, Australia and Japan.

Mexico has reported 1364 laboratory-confirmed human cases of infection, including 45 deaths. The United States has reported 1639 laboratory-confirmed human cases, including two deaths. Canada has reported 242 laboratory-confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Brazil (6), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (12), Germany (11), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (6), Japan (3), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (5), Panama (2), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (88), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (34).

Early signs of influenza H1N1 are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. No vaccine has been developed to fight the fatal virus named H1N1, which has traveled to four continents.

The symptoms have been treated with antivirals. It is feared, however, that H1N1 might be resistant to antiviral medications.

The World Health Organization prepares for the production of a vaccine against the H1N1 virus, as the number of confirmed swine flu cases passes the 2,000 mark.