WHO confirms flu in 17 countries

The World Health Organisation said on Sunday its laboratories had identified a total of 787 H1N1 flu infections in 17 countries, including one case in Ireland, and said there were 19 confirmed deaths in Mexico. The WHO’s toll lags national reports about the virus but is considered more scientifically secure.

Its most recent figures show 506 people have been infected in Mexico and 160 people have been infected in the United States, the two countries most affected by the virus widely known as swine flu. There has also been one U.S. death, identified by authorities there as a Mexican infant.

Earlier on Sunday, WHO had said there were 397 infections in Mexico and 16 deaths there. The U.N. agency said its figures changed because of “ongoing testing of previously collected specimens” and not new reported infections.

Mexico has revised down its estimate of as many as 176 suspected H1N1 deaths after receiving dozens of negative test results. Mexican authorities said on Saturday out of more than 100 suspected deaths from the strain, 19 have been confirmed.

The WHO has also confirmed flu infections, without deaths, in the following countries:
Austria (1),
Canada (70),
Hong Kong – China Region (1),
Costa Rica (1),
Denmark (1),
France (2),
Germany (6),
Ireland (1),
Israel (3),
Netherlands (1),
New Zealand (4),
South Korea (1),
Spain (13),
Switzerland (1),
Britain (15).