Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Ohh, we love our wee panics, don't we....

This afternoon a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) dismissed claims that more than 150 people have died from swine flu, saying it has officially recorded only seven deaths around the world.

Vivienne Allan, from WHO's patient safety program, said the body had confirmed that worldwide there had been just seven deaths - all in Mexico.

Associated Press said countries confirmed with the illness included Mexico (19 people), USA (66), Canada (13), Spain (2), Israel (2) and New Zealand (3).

The BBC website said the United Kingdom had two confirmed cases of swine flu and reported Germany's first confirmed case in Bavaria.

Mexican health authorities say the virus is suspected in 159 total deaths. They say it has infected over 2000 in Mexico alone.

"Unfortunately that [150-plus deaths] is incorrect information and it does happen, but that's not information that's come from the World Health Organisation," Ms Allan told Australia's ABC Radio today.

"That figure is not a figure that's come from the World Health Organisation and, I repeat, the death toll is seven and they are all from Mexico."

[From Swine flu: Tamiflu more accessible, death toll still at seven - National - NZ Herald News]

3000 people die of Malaria every day.

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