The total of confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) recorded is 2,215 in 7 countries of the Americas

- Mexico has reported 1,213 confirmed cases, 44 deaths;

- USA, 896 confirmed cases with 2 deaths;

- Canada, 214 confirmed cases;

- El Salvador, 2 confirmed cases;

- Colombia 1 confirmed case;

- Costa Rica, 1 confirmed case;

- Guatemala, 1 confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization maintains pandemic alert of phase 5.

Other Highlights

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (214), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Denmark (1), France (5), Germany (10), Ireland (1), Israel (6), Italy (5), Netherlands (2), New Zealand (5), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (81), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (32).

Oseltamivir deployed by PAHO/WHO started arriving in Member Countries today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reissued their joint statement originally issued on 30 April about the safety of pork products.

In Central America, the ministries of health in collaboration with the national emergency management agencies are working with PAHO/WHO country offices in the implementation of their national influenza pandemic plans.

In the Caribbean, PAHO/WHO continued its daily web conference with ministries of health, regional disaster agencies and other international agencies. The Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC) reported that all the samples received from Member Countries have tested negative for Influenza A (H1N1). PAHO/WHO Area on Health Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control updated participants on Influenza A(H1N1) technical topics, including epidemiological surveillance, clinical management, seasonal influenza vaccination and risk communication.

In other Latin-American countries national emergency committees remain activated, implementing enhanced epidemiological surveillance measures.

The work of the last several years on pandemic influenza preparedness has significantly improved the effectiveness of this response.

During PAHO's press conference today, Dr Jon Andrus highlighted disease monitoring and surveillance, as well as PAHO's approach to ensuring a sustainable vaccine supply chain to member countries of the Region:

- As countries of the Southern Hemisphere enter their winter season, it is clear to us that they are taking the necessary measures to strengthen and enhance their monitoring and surveillance activities.

- Monitoring the evolution of this outbreak in the Southern Hemisphere is of critical importance, not only to determine where the disease is spreading and if our interventions are working, but also to ensure that current profile of disease severity is not changing.

- PAHO, on behalf of member countries, procures and provides sustainable vaccine supply chain. We are taking all steps humanly possible that will ensure that we maintain that track record of service to Member Countries in confronting this crisis.