Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has asked the international community for assistance in the fight against the Mexican flu.

There are no verifiable figures on the number of victims, but dozens of people have reportedly died of the disease. The authorities say more than 200,000 people have been infected. The government has taken radical steps to prevent further spread of the virus. On Friday, all schools were ordered to close for three weeks and large-scale public gatherings have been banned. The campaigns for the January presidential elections have also been suspended.

A young couple with face masks in front of frescos at Kiev's Mikhaylovskiy cathedral (EPA)