More than five months after US president Barack Obama requested $1.9bn (€1.7bn) to fight the Zika epidemic, members of Congress are going home to July 4 barbecues without approving a spending bill.

With swine flu still spreading, the UN health agency is urging countries to limit their use of antiviral drugs to only high-risk patients to ensure adequate supplies in case the virus mutates and becomes more dangerous.

Mexico said a swine flu epidemic appears to be easing, but today urged citizens not to let their guard down against a virus that has killed 19 people and is spreading across Asia and Europe.