139 swine flu deaths worldwide

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded 139 deaths worldwide as a result of the swine flu outbreak.

As of June 8, the WHO said 73 countries had officially reported 25,288 cases of the disease, which is believed to have originated from a Mexican pig farm earlier this year.

So far, Mexico (5717 confirmed cases), the US (13,217), the UK (557), Spain (291), Japan (410), Chile (411), Canada (2115) and Australia (1051), have been the countries hardest hit.

The illness has caused only mild symptoms in most sufferers but it is still believed to be responsible for 106 deaths in Mexico, 27 in the US, three in Canada and one each in Chile, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

New York City recently recorded its ninth death from swine flu. The City health department confirmed that the victim was over the age of 50 and had an underlying health condition which made the flu symptoms more dangerous.

Elderly people are usually more susceptible to the fly, but researchers say this new strain has affected relatively few people over the age of 65.