WHO says swine flu deaths surge to at least 1,154 _ up from 816 only a week ago

WHO says swine flu deaths surge to 1,154

GENEVA — The World Health Organization said Tuesday that 1,154 swine flu victims have died since the virus emerged in April.

WHO said that includes 338 deaths reported in the week leading up to last Friday.

More than 300 of the new deaths were in the Americas, bringing the death toll in that region to 1,008 since the virus first emerged in Mexico and the United States, and developed into the global epidemic.

WHO also said there is no evidence that the new H1N1 virus is mutating into a more dangerous form, but that six patients have been found with a virus resistant to Tamiflu, the most commonly used swine flu drug.

Laboratory confirmed cases of the disease have reached 162,380, but WHO said this number understates the total caseload because hard-hit countries are no longer testing all the people with flu symptoms.

At least 168 countries and territories have reported confirmed swine flu cases.