Swine flu toll reaches 1,462, infections spreading in Asia

The World Health Organisation (Who) today said some 1,462 people had died from swine flu, and that infections were starting to decline in the southern hemisphere but picking up in several Asian countries, including India.

"The pandemic virus appears to have peaked and is now in decline" in several countries in the southern hemisphere, a Who spokeswoman told journalists in Geneva.           Countries where a deceleration has been recorded include Argentina, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, she said.

Several Asian countries such as Thailand, India and Vietnam are, however, seeing an active spread of the disease, which was declared a pandemic on June 11, the spokeswoman added. In all, 1,77,457 confirmed infections have been reported to the Who, but the figure understates the full number since individual cases no longer have to be tested or reported.

Data released August 5 by the UN health agency showed that 1,154 people died after being infected by the A(H1N1) virus. By comparison, seasonal flu causes about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths a year, and results in about three to five million cases of severe illness, according to the Who.