The World Health Organization (“WHO”) reports as follows:

6 May 2009 — As of 06:00 GMT, 6 May 2009, 22 countries have officially reported 1,516 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 822 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 29 deaths. The United States has reported 403 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (165), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (9), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (2), Spain (57), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (27).

It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders.

There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

For a map showing the confirmed cases of the illness around the world, click HERE.

Based on this new information, I guess I need to rethink my hypothesis presented in my prior posting, entitled “Some Thoughts On My Last Two Posts“, where I pondered why a country like Costa Rica with such a small popluation appeared to have many more swine flu cases that a country like Canada, with a much larger population.  Well, it seems that I was comparing “apples to oranges” . . . the number of Costa Rican cases that I mentioned were “suspected”;  whereas the Canadian cases were confirmed.

If you look at the most recent WHO figures, you’ll see that Costa Rica has only one confirmed case; whereas Canada now has 165 cases. (There have been no deaths from the disease in either country).  So my previously concocted theory is, apparently, without merit.

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