Swine flu cases near 60,000

SWINE flu has infected 59,814 people in 113 countries worldwide and killed 263 people, according to new figures released by the World Health Organisation yesterday.

The data showed 3,949 new infections since the last bulletin only two days ago, and 25 additional deaths, the WHO said.

Chile showed the greatest increase, with 871 infections and three deaths taking its total to 5,186, including seven dead, followed by Britain, where cases rose by 692 to 3,597, including one dead.

The number of deaths in Argentina tripled from seven to 21, while the WHO recorded the first death from the A(H1N1) virus in Honduras.

One additional death was registered in Mexico, where the pandemic first broke out in March, taking the toll to 116, as well as in Guatemala and Australia, while Canada suffered four more deaths.