Almost 10,000 swine flu cases

UNITED NATIONS chief Ban Ki-moon urged people to remain “vigilant and alert” about swine flu as the number of cases around the world shot up to almost 10,000.

Previous pandemics had shown flu outbreaks could start mild and worsen, Ban said as he addressed the World Health Organisation’s annual assembly in Geneva. “That is why the world must remain vigilant and alert to the warning signs.”

The UN health agency said cases had soared by more than 1,000 since Monday with 9,830 infections in 40 countries, including 79 deaths.