Latest snapshot of the swine flu crisis
29 Apr 2009 4:12 PM
A snapshot of the current swine flu situation.
MEXICO: Epicentre of the current outbreak and only nation with confirmed swine flu deaths (7). Another 159 suspected deaths and 1,311 people remain in hospital after exhibiting symptoms of the flu.
NATIONS WITH CONFIRMED INFECTIONS: Britain 2, Canada 13, Costa Rica 1 (+3 suspected), Israel 2, New Zealand 3 (+42 suspected), Spain 2 (+32 suspected), United States 65
NATIONS WITH SUSPECTED INFECTIONS: Argentina 3, Australia 91, Austria 5, Chile 8, Colombia 9, Denmark 5, France 20, Germany 2, Hong Kong 4, Indonesia 1, Ireland 3, Netherlands several, Poland 3, South Korea 6, Sweden 5, Switzerland 5, Thailand 1
NATIONS WITH PARTIAL OR TOTAL BANS ON PORK IMPORTS: China, Croatia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Lebanon, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine
NAME: Swine flu (which is different from a disease contracted only by pigs known as swine fever). Because pork is banned under Jewish law, Israel is calling it "Mexican flu".
The World Organisation for Animal Health says the virus is a mix of avian, swine and human viruses and has not been isolated in animals yet. It recommends "North American influenza."
