WRAPUP 6-Swine flu kills 2nd person in US, spreads globally
(For full coverage of the flu outbreak, click [nFLU])
*Cases spread globally and more deaths expected
*WHO on alert for full pandemic
*Cases seem mild in Mexico and elsewhere
*Trade wars over pork continue
(Updates throughout)
HOUSTON, May 5 (Reuters) - A Texas woman with the new H1N1 swine flu died earlier this week, state health officials said on Tuesday, the second death outside of Mexico, where the epidemic appeared to be waning.
The death of the woman, who was in her 30s and had health problems, followed that of a Mexican toddler visiting Texas. U.S. health officials have predicted that the virus would spread and inevitably kill some people, just as seasonal flu does.
The World Health Organization was monitoring the spread of the virus and said 21 countries have officially reported 1,490 cases.
The United States has 403 confirmed cases of the swine flu in 38 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, with another 700 "probable" cases.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned that "those numbers will go up, we anticipate, and unfortunately there are likely to be more hospitalizations and more deaths."
Canada has reported 165 cases.
Health officials said the outbreak seemed to be slowing in Mexico, hardest-hit by the virus, which is a mixture of swine viruses and some elements of human and bird flu. At the same time, infections were breaking out globally and are expected to spread.
Meanwhile, trade skirmishes have flared over pork, with some countries imposing new restrictions, despite assurances by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization that pork, especially cooked pork, was safe to eat.
PANDEMIC ALERT Continued...
