THE number of worldwide swine flu cases passed 5,000, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as the virus spread to three more countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Swine flu is likely to spread around the world in the next few months and infect one-third of the global population, according to the first detailed analysis of the spread of the virus published by British scientists today.

Nearly a third of British farms could become infected with foot-and-mouth disease, scientists have warned.