Developments on swine flu worldwide

May 15, 2009

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By The Associated Press – 1 day ago

Key developments on swine flu outbreaks, according to U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and government officials:

_Deaths: Global total of 69 — 64 in Mexico; three in U.S.; one in Canada and one

in Costa Rica. Officials said the Canadian, U.S. and Costa Rican victims also

had other medical conditions.

_Confirmed cases: Estimated 6,672 in 33 countries, including at least 2,656 in

Mexico; 3,352 in 46 U.S. states and the District of Columbia; and 389 in Canada.

_WHO meets in Geneva to discuss key decisions about making a vaccine.

Representatives of European Union and Latin American nations meet in Prague to

discuss swine flu and other issues.

_Mexico's confirmed cases jumped by 374 on Thursday, but Health Secretary

Angel Cordovaz said that with more confirmations, the virus appears less deadly:

the deaths now represent 2.4 percent of confirmed cases.

_WHO estimates that up to 2 billion doses of swine flu vaccine could be produced

every year, though the first batches wouldn't be available for four to six

months.

_The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently working on a

" seed stock " to make the vaccine, which should be ready in the next couple of

weeks.

_A second soldier at Kansas' Fort Riley has been confirmed with being infected

with swine flu, the site considered by many historians to be the epicenter of

the 1918 flu outbreak.

_Mexico says Peru has agreed to lift its ban on direct flights from Mexico, but

three other Latin American nations — Cuba, Ecuador and Argentina — still have

such measures in place.

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