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The Mexican Government have said that 81 people have now died and over 1,300 people have been infected by this new unknown strain of the swine flu virus.

Large public buildings in Mexico where people would congregate have been closed with most people avoiding crowded public places.

Many people have taken to wearing surgical masks which have been handed out by the Army, for fear of infection from this respiratory killer.

Hospitals across Mexico are finding it hard to cope with the constant stream of people desperate to stand in line and wait for a flu jab.

Large events have been cancelled and schools have been closed trying to further stop the spread of the virus.

The influenza has now crossed over into California, USA, with cases in San Diego and Texas springing up.

Human Transmission of the influenza is spreading fast and there is now cause for worry that this new lethal strain of swine flu could become a global threat.

It is feared that a large percentage of the world’s population could be at risk of infection, and that the influenza vaccine H1N1 strain might not provide adequate protection against this mutation of the swine flu virus.

Scientists across the world are alarmed at the death rate that has been incurred from a unknown virus which has basically only surfaced in the past week or so.

This could have massive global implications and experts are struggling to identify the exact mutation of the swine flu which can be transmitted from person to person.

‘Close analysis showed the disease is a mixture of swine, human and avian viruses, according to the CDC.

Humans can occasionally catch swine flu from pigs but rarely have they been known to pass it on to other people’.

The World Health Organisation is in emergency talks in Geneva today, to determine just how big a danger this virus poses as a worldwide pandemic.

A latest statement from the W.H.O is that this virus has “Pandemic potential” and leaflets are being handed out at airports where infections are taking place, warning people about the dangers.

Normally, Flu can seriously affect the young, old and those with weakened respiratory disposition. But this outbreak is affecting all ages, and to date most of the deaths have occurred in people between 25-45 years of age.

Scientists in health centres in Mexico and the US are studying disease control and are monitoring cases as the flu outbreak takes hold and the numbers increase.

Investigations should be in place to pinpoint the root cause of this latest flu strain and collaboration between state and local public health officials with animal health officials will seek where this strain of swine flu originated from.

This flu is characterised by: Severe headaches – Sudden fever with accompanying temperature of 39% - Muscular joint aches – Eye irritation - a runny nose - Cough - Sore throat - Vomitting - Diarrhoea.

‘This new mutation of swine flu is closely related genetically to the original. Though it is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, 2 of the components in the pig transferred swine flu vaccine, which may not prove adequate protection against this latest strain.

It contains a unique combination of gene segments that previously has not been reported among swine or human influenza viruses in the United States or anywhere else in the world’.

Fears are that it is too late now to contain the Swine Flu outbreak and international travel may be ultimately affected as the true figures of this pandemic are revealed over the next few days and weeks.

The World Health Organisation will decide whether this virus will be escalated to high alert on the pandemic scale after their emergency briefing in Geneva today.-