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WHO: A(H1N1) flu deaths reach 2,837

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-04 20:33

GENEVA: The World Health Organization says at least 625 people have been reported dead from A(H1N1) flu in the last week.

Full Coverage:  Flu Pandemic Outbreak Related readings:  China approves one-dose homegrown H1N1 flu vaccine  Sinovac Biotech cleared for H1N1 vaccine manufacture  10-yr-old is sixth to die from A (H1N1) flu  35 A(H1N1) cases confirmed in SW China college  H1N1 unlikely to mutate into 'superbug': U.S. study

The A(H1N1) flu virus has caused at least 2,837 deaths since it emerged in Mexico and the United States earlier this year and developed into a full-blown global epidemic. Most of the deaths are in the Western Hemisphere.

WHO said Friday that laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease have now reached 254,206.

Spokesman Gregory Hartl says the figure far understates the actual number of cases because countries are no longer required to report each infection as the caseload is so high.

He says the number of deaths is growing proportionately to the increase in number of infected people.