A(H1N1) Update: Flu cases worldwide breach 4,000 mark

MANILA, Philippines - The number of officially reported human cases of Influenza A(H1N1) infection worldwide logged a 27 percent increase from May 9 to May 10, data culled by GMANews.TV from the World Health Organization showed. The WHO said that the number of confirmed cases climbed to 4,379 (Update 24) on May 10 from 3,440 (Update 23) on May 9 while the number of countries infected by the disease remained at 29. During the said period, the death toll increased from 48 to 49 – 45 in Mexico, two in the United States, one in Canada, and the first confirmed A(H1N1) flu death in Costa Rica. The Associated Press, however, earlier reported that the global death toll was already 53, with 48 deaths in Mexico, three in the United States, one in Canada, and one in Costa Rica. A(H1N1) cases increased in ten countries, which include: * Mexico – 1,626 cases from 1,364 * US – 2,254 from 1,639 * Canada – 280 from 242 * Costa Rica – 8 from 1 * Italy – 9 from 6 * Japan – 4 from 3 * New Zealand – 7 from 5 * Panama – 3 from 2 * Spain – 93 from 88 * United Kingdom – 39 from 34 The number of cases in the following countries did not change from May 9 to 10: * Brazil – 6 * El Salvador – 2 * France – 12 * Germany – 11 * Israel – 7 * Netherlands – 3 * South Korea – 3 Countries that remained with one case each include: Argentina, Australia, Austria, China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Colombia, Denmark, Guatemala, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland. - GMANews.TV