Canada flu cases at 85, first human-to-animal infection reported

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

OTTAWA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Canada on Saturday
announced a surge of confirmed H1N1 flu cases to 85 while the country reported
the globe's first human-to-animal infections.

More than 200 pigs on a farm in the western province
of Alberta have been infected with the new flu, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency said Saturday at a press conference in Ottawa.

Federal officials believe the animals contracted the
virus from a Canadian worker who returned from Mexico on April 12 and arrived on
the farm two days later, showing flu symptoms shortly thereafter, said Brian
Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, at the news conference.

Both the worker and the approximately 220 infected
pigs are recovering, but the animals have been quarantined to prevent possible
transfer to humans, said Evans.

He stressed that "the chance that these pigs could
transfer the virus to a person is remote. Nevertheless, we're following an
appropriately measured approach."

He assured that "consumption of pork is not
considered a route of transmission to humans," urging other countries not to ban
Canadian pork.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed human cases of the
flu in Canada jumped to 85 on Saturday, with 34 new cases reported.

Nova Scotia reported 17 new cases, adding the total
to 34 to become the province with the most cases in the country. Among these,
six are not from the private high school that first reported the outbreak,
raising concerns that the flu may be spreading quickly in the province.

Ontario reported one case of human-to-human infection
within Canada, adding such cases to 9 in the country.

All the patients are experiencing mild symptoms and
there have been no deaths in Canada.

Health officials urged residents to continue to do
daily activities as normal. "It is safe to go to school, work and socialize, as
long as you do not have any symptoms," chief medical officer Robert Strong of
Nova Scotia said.

The federal government, which has decided to hold a
daily briefing when warranted, ran advertisements in newspapers across the
country on Saturday, calling for calm and more public awareness of the flu
outbreak. Officials urge Canadians to continue regular hand washing to avoid
infection.

Scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory have begun full genome sequencing of the flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, said Saturday in a news conference.

WHO says raise to pandemic alert Phase 6 still possible

GENEVA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that the risk of a pandemic caused by the A/H1N1 virus is still very high and there is still the possibility to raise the alert level to Phase 6 from the current Phase 5.

"At the present time, I would still propose that a pandemic is imminent because we are seeing the disease spread," Michael Ryan, the agency's director for global alert and response, told a news briefing in Geneva. Full story

Mexico's flu death toll rises to 19

MEXICO CITY, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's confirmed flu death toll has risen to 19 on Saturday and another 454 people confirmed infected, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said.

The minister urged citizens to remain vigilant and not to let their guard down against the virus. Full story

WHO's tally of A/H1N1 cases rises to 615

GENEVA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The total number of laboratory confirmed A/H1N1 flu infections worldwide has risen to 615 with 17 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a latest update on Saturday.

A total of 15 countries and regions have officially reported laboratory confirmed cases to the UN agency, including Mexico, whose confirmed number of human cases has increased to 397, including 16 deaths. Full story

WTO: Antiviral drugs being sent to 72 developing countries

GENEVA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was sending more than 2 million treatment courses of antiviral drugs to 72 developing countries to help them prepare for a possible pandemic caused by the spreading A/H1N1 virus.

"We've begun to dispatch 2.4 million treatment courses of antivirals to 72 countries including Mexico," said Michael Ryan, WHO's director for global alert and response. Full story