Health ministers from the 27 European Union nations are to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to coordinate efforts to prevent the spread of swine flu and discuss ways of treatment.

The ministers may agree to issue a Europe-wide travel warning to Europeans to stay away from Mexico.

EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has personally asked Europeans to avoid unnecessary trips to Mexico and parts of the United States where the virus has been found.

French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot vowed to push the suspension of EU flights to Mexico to lower the possibility of the flu spread.

Some EU member states, such as Britain, Spain, Austria and Germany, have confirmed cases of the flu, which has already claimed more than 170 lives and left more than 2,500 infections in Mexico.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)