WHO: 365 cases of H1N1 influenza confirmed

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration is taking the swine flu outbreak seriously and preparing for the possibility of a long-term battle.

Influenza A H1N1 has spread to 13 countries with 365 confirmed cases and 10 deaths, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Mexico -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- leads the list with 156 cases and nine deaths, followed by the United States with 141 cases and one death -- that of Mexican child who traveled to Houston for treatment. WHO said 34 cases were confirmed in Canada, 13 in Spain, eight in the United Kingdom, two in Israel and three each in New Zealand and Germany. Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland each have one confirmed case.

One case was confirmed Friday in Hong Kong, marking the flu's arrival in Asia. Hong Kong authorities said a 25-year-old traveler who arrived from Mexico Thursday after a stop in Shanghai was confirmed to have the H1N1 virus. The man is hospitalized and officials have quarantined all 200 guests at the Metropark Hotel in Hong Kong, where the traveler stayed Friday night, China's Xinhua news service reported.

Obama said he is pleased with efforts by U.S. officials to prepare for a possible pandemic.

"Even if it turns out that the H1N1 is relatively mild on the front end, it could come back in a more virulent form during the actual flu season," Obama told reporters Friday. "We've had discussions about the production of vaccines ... in anticipation of the flu season. And we've made sure that all our agencies here are coordinating, that they have appropriate action plans."

Continental Airlines is reducing the number of flights from the United States to Mexico and several cruise lines are diverting ships to other ports. WHO, however, maintains travel restrictions are unlikely to be effective at preventing the spread of swine flu.

"Today, international travel moves rapidly, with large numbers of individuals visiting various parts of the world," the international organization said in a statement. "Limiting travel and imposing travel restrictions would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive to the global community."

Mexican health officials say Mexico's first swine flu fatality waited too long to go to the doctor after she started showing symptoms. Adela Maria Gutierrez spent more than a week in bed before seeking medical attention, The New York Times reported.

"If we can treat a disease like this early, we can stay ahead," Dr. Marcelo Noguera, Mexico's undersecretary of health for the state of Oaxaca.

The World Bank said Mexico's public health budget is about 3 percent of its gross domestic product, well below the rate in developed countries.