05 August,2009 11:56 AM IST | | Agencies
The influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, better known as swine flu, has caused a total of 1,154 deaths worldwide, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
Of all the deaths, 1,008 occurred in the Americas, 65 in Southeast Asia, 41 in Europe, 39 in the Western Pacific region and one in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the UN agency said in a latest update of the situation.
It said 168 countries and overseas territories/communities have reported at least one laboratory-confirmed infection of the new virus as of July 31, and all continents are affected.
The tally of accumulated cases worldwide stands at 162,380, according to the agency. But it noted that this tally is actually lower than the real number of cases, as countries are no longer required to test and report individual cases.
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Swine flu, which was first detected in Mexico and declared as a pandemic by the WHO in June, has so far been characterised by the mildness of symptoms in the overwhelming majority of patients.
According to the WHO, so far there is still no signs of the virus mutating and becoming more fatal despite its fast spreading.
It stressed, however, that the world should keep monitoring the virus and be prepared for any possible changes, especially when winter comes in the northern hemisphere.
