Epidemic Influenza A H1N1 Spreads to 17 Countries with 787 Cases

HAVANA, Cuba. The pandemic Influenza A H1N1 has already spread to 17 countries of the world, with 787 confirmed cases, 20 deaths included, according to most recent information by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The international organization posted its update number 11 on its webpage [http://www.who.int/en/] on Sunday reading that only in Mexico, authorities confirmed 506 people infected with the flu, 19 of them died. The noticeable increase in the figure over the past 48 hours is due to the release of lab tests, whose samples were previously collected, so it does not indicate an increase in the spread of the disease.

Media reports from Mexico say that the authorities in the Central American nation have taken tough measures in an effort to stop the spread of the epidemic; such actions include interruption of labor, school and church activities to avoid concentrations of people in sites, which favors the
spread of the disease.

The WHO update assures that the United States has confirmed 160 cases in labs, plus a death. The rest of the countries that have reported the presence of the flu include Austria (1), Canada (70), China (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), France (2), Germany (6), Ireland (1), Israel (3), Holland (1), New Zealand (4), The Republic of Korea (1), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and U.K. (15).

The WHO does not suggest any restrictions on trips or border closures.

However, it is considered prudent for sick people to put off international
trips, and those who show flu-relative symptoms after taking an international tour must receive medical attention, according to indications by national authorities, the WHO says.

The population has been advised to regularly wash their hands with water and soap and request medical attention in the face of any flu-related symptom.

A joint declaration issued by the WHO, the World Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) addresses the first information released from the beginning about the disease being a swine epidemic that transferred to the human genre as
follows:

There are no records that viruses with the flu can be transmitted to human beings through the consumption of process pork or pork derivatives. The cooking heat applied on the meat (70 Celsius degrees at the center of the piece) immediately kills any virus that could be present in the raw meat.

"However, as a top security measure the suggestion is that "authorities and
consumers should make sure not to process meat of sick pigs or any found
death for human consumption under any circumstance."