Mexico flu deaths reach 70, with 3,646 total infections

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MEXICO CITY, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's Health Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the country's confirmed deaths from the A/H1N1 flu has risen to 70, with total confirmed infections of the new virus reaching 3,646.

"Two deaths that took place on April 19 and May 13 in Mexico City were confirmed" to be related to the A/H1N1 flu, the statement said, adding that health authorities have now processed 26.6 percent of the samples that were taken during the nation's flu emergency period.

Mexico closed all educational institutions from nurseries to universities on April 24, effectively sending home 33 million people, in response to an unusual increase in flu deaths that hit out of season.

The last group of closed schools reopened on Monday in the states of Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas.

On Monday, the Health Ministry said that 31 of Mexico's 32 states have confirmed cases of the flu, but five states -- Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, the State of Mexico and Veracruz --have accounted for 65 percent of the total infections.

Mexico City, where all activities and businesses that bring together people were halted for around 10 days, is the region worst affected by the flu.

The flu usually causes headaches, breathing difficulties, a sudden increase in body temperature and muscular pain.

On Monday, the World Health Organization reported that there were a total of 8,829 confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases in 40 countries and regions across the globe. The United States has the most infections, with 6 deaths from 5,123 confirmed cases.