H1N1 flu tally 3,440 in 29 countries - WHO

ZURICH (Reuters) - H1N1 flu has infected 3,440 people in 29 countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Saturday.

In its latest tally, which tends to lag national reports but is considered more secure, the U.N. agency said 45 people in Mexico have died from the new flu strain that is a genetic mixture of swine, bird and human viruses.

Its previous toll said there were 44 Mexican deaths.

The Mexican government has said the worst is over and eased restrictions on commercial and public activity in the country that has been at the epicentre of the outbreak.

The WHO's latest flu tally increased the number of confirmed infections in the United States to 1,639 from 896 reported on Friday, while the number of reported deaths remained at two.

It increased the number of infections in Canada to 242, from 214, and added one reported death.

European countries with cases confirmed in WHO laboratories include Spain (88), Britain (34), Germany (11), Italy (6), France (12), Portugal (1), Ireland (1), Netherlands (3), Austria (1), Denmark (1), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and Poland (1).

The WHO also confirmed the following infections in the rest of the world: Israel (7), Brazil (6), New Zealand (5), South Korea (3), El Salvador (2), Hong Kong, China (1), Guatemala (1), Colombia (1) and Costa Rica (1).

Countries with cases added to its list for the first time were: Argentina (1), Australia (1), Japan (3) and Panama (2).