Key facts and figures for SWINE FLU

KEY developments on swine flu outbreaks, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organisation (WHO), and government officials:

● Deaths: 168 in Mexico, eight confirmed as swine flu and rest suspected. One confirmed in US, a 23-month-old boy from Mexico who died in Texas.

● Sickened: 2,955 suspected and 99 confirmed in Mexico. Confirmed elsewhere: 124 in US; 19 in Canada; 13 in Spain; eight in Britain; three in Germany and in New Zealand; two in Israel; one each in Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands.

● In US, CDC confirms 109 cases and state officials confirm another 11. CDC confirms: 50 in New York; 26 in Texas; 14 in California; 10 in South Carolina; two each in Kansas and Massachusetts; and one each in Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan and Nevada. State officials confirm five in New Jersey; four in Delaware; three in Maine; two in Colorado; and one in Michigan.

● Several hundred schools close nationwide, at least 200 in Texas and 62 in Alabama, plus scattered closings in New York, California, South Carolina, Connecticut, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Arizona, Ohio, Utah, Washington state, Michigan and Maine.

● WHO increases its tally of confirmed swine flu cases around the world to 257 from 148.

● WHO says it will stop using the term “swine flu’’ to avoid confusion over the danger posed by pigs. It will instead refer to the virus by its scientific name, “H1N1 influenza. A.’’

● The Obama administration comes out against closing the US-Mexico border..

● Public health emergency declared in the United States and roughly 12 million doses of Tamiflu from federal stockpile to be delivered to states.

● Texas Gov Rick Perry issues disaster declaration, and state suspends all high school sports competitions until May 11. Texas school closings affect 130,000 children. (mmail)