EU Commission calls urgent meeting on swine flu

The European Commission has called an urgent meeting of health ministers as fears grow of a swine flu pandemic after a virus killed 103 people in Mexico and spread to the United States and other countries.

"The Commissioner in charge of public health has already asked for an urgent meeting of health ministers," EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters in Athens.

"It's too soon to speculate about the situation. We are following the situation very closely, together with the member states," he said.

In Malta, a pandemic committee set up some months ago when there was fear over the spread of bird flu is due to meet in the afternoon to discuss the situation. Officials said the committee would be discussing awareness among doctors, monitoring, preventive measures and reaction should any case be reported.

Malta had stocked up on anti-viral medicines when the global alert on bird flu was raised.

The Mexican government confirmed that there were over 1,600 suspected cases of swine flu in the country, resulting in 103 deaths. Most of the dead in Mexico are young adults, rather than more vulnerable children or elderly.

Canada and the US have also reported confirmed cases, although these had only mild symptoms. The US Department of Health and Human Services has declared a national public health emergency.

The World Health Organisation is advising countries to be on the lookout for unusual flu or pneumonia-like symptoms.

It added that years of preparing for a bird flu pandemic meant a boost in global antiviral stock. Although no vaccine is currently available, the new virus can be treated with antiviral medication.

Fears of a global swine flu pandemic grew with new infections in the United States and Canada yesteray, and millions of Mexicans stayed indoors to avoid a virus that has already killed up to 81 people.

While the deaths have been limited to Mexico, the flu is spreading with 20 cases in the United States and six in Canada, and possible cases as far afield as Europe, Israel and New Zealand.

Offering a glimmer of hope in Mexico, President Felipe Calderon said most of the roughly 1,300 people in the country suspected of having the flu have been given a clean bill of health and sent home.

The Mexican capital, one of the world's biggest cities, slowed to a snail's pace as millions of residents stayed at home, fearing infection. Many who ventured out wore masks and some companies asked employees to work from home today.

The World Health Organization has declared the flu a "public health emergency of international concern" that could become a pandemic, or global outbreak of serious disease.

A pandemic would deal a major blow to a world economy already suffering its worst crisis in decades, and experts say it could cost trillions of dollars.

A 1968 "Hong Kong" flu pandemic killed about 1 million people globally.

Although it is called "swine flu" there is no evidence any of the new cases stemmed from contact with pigs.