Intellasia News Services -- Japan swine flu cases near 300, Canada tally spikes

Japan swine flu cases near 300, Canada tally spikes
Source: 23-MAY-2009 Intellasia | AFP
23 May, 2009 - 7:00:00 AM
The number of swine flu cases in Japan soared towards 300 Thursday and Canada announced a big jump in infections as the global epidemic showed no signs of letting up.

Local media said 281 cases of the (A)H1N1 virus had been confirmed in, including two cases in Tokyo -- the world's largest urban area, home to about 36 million people -- as Japanese prime minister Taro Aso urged calm.

Authorities in two of the country's western prefectures have closed more than 4,800 schools, colleges and kindergartens for the rest of the week at least to slow the spread of the virus, the education ministry said.

(Reuters)

In Canada, authorities said the number of swine flu cases had soared by more than 200 since the end of last week.

"Of the 719 cases, 13 have required hospitalisation, which supports what we have seen so far in Canada, that the severity of the symptoms is more typical of seasonal flu," said Canada's Chief Public Health Officer David Butler-Jones.

"However, even with a mild flu, we need to remain vigilant in preventing illness and watching for changes in the virus."

The World Health Organization said Wednesday the number of confirmed swine flu cases around the world now stands at 10,243 -- 80 of them fatal. Most of the deaths have occurred in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak.

Cases have been reported in more than 40 countries.

on Thursday raised their flu tally to seven, with a young child and a Mexican woman visiting the country suffering from the flu.

Health minister Nicola Roxon said a Melbourne primary school had been shut down until next week and 51 students provided with anti-viral drugs after two brothers tested positive for the virus.

"The situation is developing quite quickly and I suspect that later in the day there will be more cases to add to that number," Roxon said.

The mounting number of swine flu cases worldwide has overshadowed proceedings at the WHO's ongoing annual assembly in Geneva.

The UN health body has already raised its alert level to five out of a sliding scale of six, indicating that a full-fledged pandemic is imminent.

The top level would indicate sustained community transmission in a second region outside the Americas, and the escalating number of cases in Asia has increased the prospects of the red alert being sounded.

The two girls infected with swine flu in Tokyo were among a school group who travelled to New York from May 11 to 18 to join a mock United Nations conference with 2,300 international students, officials said.

Japan stepped up its efforts to contain the spread of the virus, with some railway workers in the Tokyo area asked to wear face masks.

There have been no fatalities from the virus in Japan and most cases have been mild, health officials have stressed.

In a government television advertisement, a female voice says: "We do not have to fear this influenza if we receive early treatment." Premier Taro Aso then faces the camera and says: "I ask for your calm response."

Governments in Asia, where memories of the bird flu and SARS crises are still acute, have been swift to quarantine both locals and foreigners in a bid to stop swine flu in its tracks.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Health minister Hatem al-Gabali warned of the dangers posed by swine flu to millions of Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia.

While he could not bar Egypt's estimated 600,000 pilgrims from travelling as such a decision was up to clerics, Gabali said he could "open quarantines and say: No one will return from Saudi Arabia to his home."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090521/hl_afp/healthfluworld_20090521145605