MOSCOW, April 30 (RIA Novosti) - The World Health
Organization confirmed 257 cases of influenza A (H1N1)
infection, the technical name for the virus commonly called
swine flu, in 11 countries as of 17:00 GMT on Thursday.
The WHO said on its website that the United States had
reported 109 confirmed human cases, including one death, while
Mexico reported 97 confirmed human cases, with seven deaths.
Laboratory cases, with no fatalities, have also been
reported by Canada (19), Spain (13), Britain (8), New Zealand
(3), Germany (3), Israel (2), Netherlands (1), Switzerland (1)
and Austria (1).
Despite the fact that the illness has so far only
officially claimed eight lives, the outbreak has sparked a
number of dramatic media reports suggesting future death tolls
"could" be in the tens of thousands or even millions.
The global health body said well-cooked pork and pork
products carry no risk of infection from the virus.
The head of Russia's Flu Research Institute said in an
interview with RIA Novosti on Thursday that Russian scientists
could create a vaccine to combat swine flu in three months.
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