The World Health Organisation has reported that more than 52,000 people in 100 countries and territories have been infected with Mexican flu or (a)H1N1, and the death toll has risen to 231.

The pandemic is spreading and 11 countries have reported fatalities, including Mexico, United States, Great Britain, Canada and Chile. The US has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people infected with (a)H1N1; reporting 21,449 infections with 87 deaths as of today. Britain is the worst affected country in Europe; it recorded 2,506 cases including one death. The Philippines and Honduras have reported their first Mexican flu deaths and Montenegro and Iran have reported their first infections.

The Dutch health authorities say 102 people have tested positive for Mexican flu. The health ministry has announced plans to buy 34 million doses of vaccine, enough to vaccinate the entire population if necessary. At the moment, there is still no vaccine against (a) H1N1 but experts hope it will be available by the end of 2009.