FLU UPDATE Worldwide developments

May 11, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Key developments on swine flu outbreaks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and government officials:

Deaths: Global total of 53 — 48 in Mexico; three in the U.S.; one in Canada and one in Costa Rica. One of those who died in the U.S. was a toddler from Mexico. Officials said the Canadian, U.S. and Costa Rican victims also had other underlying medical conditions.

Confirmed cases: more than 4,370 in 29 countries, including at least 1,626 in Mexico, at least 2,254 in the United States and 280 in Canada.

Third U.S. death was a man in his 30s in Washington state, where health officials said he had underlying heart conditions.

Japan reported its first four cases: a teacher and three students who had been on a high school trip to Canada. Australia reported its first confirmed case Saturday.

WHO said up to 2 billion people could be infected by swine flu if outbreak turns into pandemic over months or years. But WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said it’s too early to tell how widespread or severe the outbreak will become.

President Barack Obama sought to reassure Hispanics that swine flu won’t lead to epidemic of discrimination in the United States just because Mexico has been the center of the outbreak.

Mexico’s U.N. envoy said nations need common rules for responding to flu outbreaks to prevent discrimination and unfair trade restrictions; said Mexicans unfairly singled out.

Associated Press