PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
KEY developments on swine flu outbreaks, according to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organisation, and government officials.
Deaths:
84 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:
2,500 suspected and 26 confirmed in Mexico. Confirmed elsewhere: at least 100 in US; 13 in Canada; three in New Zealand; five in Britain; three in Germany; four in Spain; two in Israel; one in Austria; one in Netherlands; one in Switzerland; two in Costa Rica; and one in Peru.
US cases confirmed by CDC and state officials: 50 in New York, 10 in South Carolina, 14 in California, 26 in Texas, three in Maine; two in Kansas, two in Massachusetts, and one each in Indiana, Ohio, Arizona and Nevada.
CDC also said Michigan had two, but state officials said only one was confirmed.
Asia, a continent that has battled deadly viruses such as the H5N1 bird flu and SARS in recent years, has been taking steps to ward off the new swine flu virus. Following are some details of how Asian countries are responding to the crisis
AUSTRALIA - Pandemic plans in full swing. Govt approves tough new powers to detain and disinfect people suspected of carrying swine flu. All incoming flights have to declare suspected flu cases on arrival, have inflight announcements. Passengers have to fill in health declaration card. Govt runs ads in media, sets up hotline. Thermal scanners and extra medical staff also being sent to international airports.
Enough anti-viral drugs stockpiled to cover around 41 percent of 21 million population. Australia has stockpiled 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza drugs. Stockpile of 50 million surgical masks.
SOUTH KOREA - Recommends nationals staying in Mexico to leave unless on urgent business. Agriculture Ministry suspends imports of live pigs from North America. Running round-the-clock emergency quarantine centre.
Tamiflu stockpile for 2.5 million people and is working to increase that to 10 percent of population of about 49 million.
HONG KONG - Will shut schools if one or more confirmed cases found at schools and if a sign disease is spreading.
Media say authorities have 20 million doses of Tamiflu and other anti-flu drugs. Steps up screening at all entry points.
VIETNAM - Visitors arriving from the swine flu infected countries to be isolated. Nationals advised not to visit zones reported with the disease.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's largest city of more than 8 million people, has stocks of Tamiflu enough for 1 million people.
SINGAPORE - Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew quoted in Straits Times as saying nationals returning from Mexico will be quarantined.
'We're taking no chances. We learnt from Sars,' he said.
Thermal scanners at airport and isolation units at hospitals, where staff at some emergency departments are wearing full protective clothing.
JAPAN - Central government has Tamiflu stockpile for about 22.5 million, and Relenza stockpile for about 2.68 million people, for combined stock which would cover nearly 20 percent of population. Local governments have own stockpiles but figures not available.
- Military doctors, nurses posted to Narita Airport to help check passengers from Mexico, Canada and the United States.
NEW ZEALAND - Public health officials say 'ample stocks' of anti-flu drugs. NZ built up stockpile after bird flu scare sufficient to cover between 25-30 percent of the 4.3 million population.
Raised the level of its national pandemic plan and screening all flights from North America.
TAIWAN - Current supplies of swine flu treatment to cover 10 percent of Taiwan's 23 million population. More than one million facemasks for emergency use.
MALAYSIA - Tamiflu stockpile covering more than 2 million of the 27-million strong population.
THAILAND - Government has 320,000 sets of Tamiflu stockpiled. GPO, state-owned drug maker, can produce one million capsules of generic Tamiflu if needed. Thailand has a population of about 65 million.
Temperature screening checkpoints at international airports in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket.
PHILIPPINES - Govt says has Tamiflu stockpile of 600,000 for 60,000 possible cases and buying 10 million pesos worth of additional Tamiflu, covering small fraction of Philippines population of 90 million.
Airports equipped with thermal scanners, hired additional medical staff to handle swine-flu related cases.
CHINA - National tourism administration orders travel agencies to suspend tours to Mexico, according to state media. Chinese authorities tell hospitals to swiftly report suspected cases of swine flu. Official press is vowing fast public disclosure of any cases. Prevention education campaign launched in schools.
BANGLADESH - Travellers, particularly those coming from countries already hit by recent outbreak, to be screened.
INDONESIA - Temperature scanners installed at 10 airports and ports with immediate effect.
At least 3 million Tamiflu capsules in stock.
INDIA - Has stockpiled one million Tamiflu doses which cover more than 142,000 people. Government has requested another one million doses which it expects to receive within 7-10 days.
Surveillance stepped up at international airports and ports.
Asean - Has 500,000 courses of antivirals stockpiled in Singapore and another 500,000 distributed among Asean member states.
Asean also has stockpile of personal protective equipment but it did not give details.
Health ministers from Southeast Asian countries will meet, probably in early May in Bangkok, to discuss how to deal with the swine flu crisis, said Surin Pitsuwan, the secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
He said the ministers 'should get together at the earliest time possible,' according to a press release from the group.
The following countries have issued advisories against non-essential travel to Mexico: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia.
Japan advised nationals currently in Mexico to consider returning home soon and has suspended visa waivers for Mexicans.
Vietnamese Health Ministry advised against travel 'to the zones reported with the disease'. China suspending tours to Mexico.
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