Mexico is temporarily suspending all non-essential activity of the federal government as the number of confirmed swine flu cases jumped.

New Zealand health officials are investigating a possible 56 further cases of swine flu among people recently returned from North America or Mexico.

Around the world today countries rushed to deal in their own way with swine flu fears.

Churches stood empty today in heavily Roman Catholic Mexico City after services were cancelled, and health workers screened airports and bus stations for people sickened by a new strain of swine flu that experts fear could become a global epidemic.

Ten students who were recently in Mexico have tested positive for influenza, New Zealand’s health minister said today.