Tuesday, April 28th 2009, 6:10 AM
MEXICO CITY — Swine flu spread to the Middle East and the South Pacific on Tuesday, as New Zealand reported 11 confirmed cases and Israel said it had one. World health officials raced to contain the outbreak, raising a global alert level as more deaths were reported in Mexico.
Swine flu has already spread to seven countries and appears to be jumping borders via airplane flights. Those infected in New Zealand are a group of students and teachers who returned recently from a trip to Mexico, where the virus is suspected to have infected nearly 2,000 people and caused more than 150 deaths.
Fifty cases — none fatal — have been confirmed in the United States. Six cases have been confirmed in Canada, two in Spain and two in Scotland.
European Union officials reported Tuesday flu cases were also being probed in Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Ireland, in addition to Spain and Britain.
"At this time, containment is not a feasible option," said Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization, which raised its alert level on Monday.
New Zealand Health Minister Tony Ryall reported 11 confirmed cases and said another 43 people were suspected of having the virus. All have been voluntarily quarrantined, along with their families.
Israeli Health Ministry laboratory tests confirmed swine flu in a 26-year-old patient who recently returned from Mexico in the Israeli city of Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, according to Laniado Hospital's medical director.
In Europe, Spain reported a second confirmed case and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the country's two swine flu patients were improving.
"Both patients are in better health and ... one may leave the hospital today," Brown said on a visit to Poland.
Brown urged people to consult a doctor if they have health concerns but stressed that Britain is "among the best prepared countries in the world" to fight the spread of the disease.
Spanish Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez said the second case, a 23-year-old student, one of 26 patients under observation, was not in serious condition.
The European Union health commissioner suggested that Europeans avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States affected by the flu. Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus.
World stock markets fell sharply Tuesday as investors worried that any swine flu pandemic could derail a global economic recovery. Stocks of airlines, hotels and other travel-related companies already posted sharp losses Monday.
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