* H1N1 flu infections keep nudging up in Europe * WHO confirms more cases in Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany * Sustained spread outside of Americas required for pandemic GENEVA, May 6 (Reuters) - The new H1N1 flu is continuing to spread in Europe, where World Health Organisation laboratories have confirmed more infections in Britain, Spain, Italy, and Germany, the United Nations agency said on Wednesday. In its latest tally -- which tends to lag national reports but carries more scientific weight -- the WHO said there were 27 cases confirmed in Britain, up from its previous toll of 18. Spain and Italy both had three more cases, and Germany had one more. South Korea also had one new infection, the WHO said, raising the global total to 1,516. The virus, popularly known as swine flu, has now reached 22 countries, with Guatemala the latest addition to the WHO toll. It has one confirmed case. Evidence that the disease has taken hold in communities outside the Americas would prompt WHO Director-General Margaret Chan to declare a full pandemic. Such a "Phase 6" designation requires a virus to be spreading in a sustained way in two regions of the world -- it is already doing so in the Americas region, with infections in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Chan raised the global pandemic alert level last week to the second-highest notch of 5 in response to the spread of H1N1, which scientists say is a mix of two swine viruses with some genetic elements from human and avian flus. Phase 5 means a pandemic is imminent. In Mexico, where the virus has caused the most damage, the WHO said its labs have confirmed 822 infections and 29 deaths. The United States has had 403 WHO-confirmed infections and one confirmed death so far, according to the U.N. agency tally. Texas officials said late on Tuesday that a Texas woman in her 30s, who had chronic health problems, had died from the flu in the second known H1N1 death in the United States. Last week a Mexican toddler visiting Texas also died.
Victims who lost their limbs during the Sichuan earthquake last year wait to receive free treatment at temporary site in Beichuan county, Sichuan province May 5, 2009. China will mark the ...
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