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More flu cases in UK and Germany Germany and Austria confirm flu
(20 minutes later)
Germany has become the third European nation hit by swine flu, confirming it has three cases, while the UK says it has three more cases - five in total. Germany and Austria have become the third and fourth European nations hit by swine flu, with Germany reporting three cases, and Austria one.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the new cases - two adults and a 12-year-old girl - were all in England.
The German victims include two women, aged 22 and 37, and a man in his 30s. All had recently returned from Mexico.The German victims include two women, aged 22 and 37, and a man in his 30s. All had recently returned from Mexico.
Spain has four cases and several other European countries are investigating suspected infections. Meanwhile the UK says it has three more cases - five in total. And Spain's total has doubled to four.
So far Mexico and the US are the only countries where victims of the virus have died. The first US death was reported on Wednesday. So far Mexico and the US are the only countries where victims of the virus have died.
The first US death was reported on Wednesday.
German authorities say there is no need to panic - and that they have sufficient stocks of anti-flu drugs to protect the population, says the BBC's Tristana Moore in Berlin.German authorities say there is no need to panic - and that they have sufficient stocks of anti-flu drugs to protect the population, says the BBC's Tristana Moore in Berlin.
But the country is bracing for more cases and is increasing its watchfulness at airports like Hamburg and Frankfurt.But the country is bracing for more cases and is increasing its watchfulness at airports like Hamburg and Frankfurt.
The 22-year-old woman with the virus is from Hamburg, the 37-year-old woman from Kulmbach, and the man is being treated in Regensburg, southern Germany, said the Robert Koch Institute, which specialises in infectious diseases.The 22-year-old woman with the virus is from Hamburg, the 37-year-old woman from Kulmbach, and the man is being treated in Regensburg, southern Germany, said the Robert Koch Institute, which specialises in infectious diseases.
Honeymoon coupleHoneymoon couple
Mr Brown said all three new British cases had mild symptoms and were responding well to treatment. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the new British cases - two adults and a 12-year-old girl - were all in England. He said all three had mild symptoms and were responding well to treatment.
Meanwhile in Scotland a couple have reportedly been quarantined in their own home after becoming the second newly-married couple suspected of picking up the disease on their honeymoon in Mexico.Meanwhile in Scotland a couple have reportedly been quarantined in their own home after becoming the second newly-married couple suspected of picking up the disease on their honeymoon in Mexico.
After their return from Cancun, Jenny Marshall fell ill and she and her new husband Pete had been told to stay inside for five days, he told a Scottish newspaper.After their return from Cancun, Jenny Marshall fell ill and she and her new husband Pete had been told to stay inside for five days, he told a Scottish newspaper.
Results are expected back on Wednesday from some of the tests being carried out on 23 people across Scotland suspected of being infected. Spain's health ministry announced two more cases on Wednesday, making four in total, but said they were "not serious because they are responding well to treatment".
In Portugal a three-year-old boy who arrived from the United States last week, is the country's first suspected case, local media have reported.In Portugal a three-year-old boy who arrived from the United States last week, is the country's first suspected case, local media have reported.
On Tuesday EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said suspected cases were also being investigated in the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Greece and the Czech Republic.On Tuesday EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said suspected cases were also being investigated in the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Greece and the Czech Republic.
'Unpredictable''Unpredictable'
In Geneva, the World Health Organization was holding an emergency review of the swine flu outbreak, and said it might raise its pandemic alert level to phase five - the second highest - if it turned out that the disease was being spread in at least two countries, the Associated Press reported.In Geneva, the World Health Organization was holding an emergency review of the swine flu outbreak, and said it might raise its pandemic alert level to phase five - the second highest - if it turned out that the disease was being spread in at least two countries, the Associated Press reported.
Level six is a pandemic.Level six is a pandemic.
But senior WHO official Keiji Fukuda said that it could still turn out to be a "very mild pandemic", adding, however, that influenza "moves in ways we cannot predict".But senior WHO official Keiji Fukuda said that it could still turn out to be a "very mild pandemic", adding, however, that influenza "moves in ways we cannot predict".