The A/H1N1 flu continues to spread around the world, and in some places rapidly.

As of Friday, there were 29,669 confirmed cases in 74 countries and regions, including 145 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

In the past week, the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States reported nearly 5,000 new A/H1N1 cases, bringing the total number to 17,885 in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territory of Puerto Rico.

The CDC also reported a total of 49 deaths in 13 states, of which New York topped the list with 17.

The total number of confirmed cases in Canada has risen to 3,515, including four deaths, according to the latest figures released by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on Friday.

Compared with the figure on Wednesday, 540 new cases were added during the past two days.

UK Health Secretary Andy Burnham said on Friday the number of confirmed A/H1N1 cases in the country had risen to 921.

Argentina Health Minister Graciela Ocana confirmed on Friday that there were 470 cases in the country, of which 127 were new.

Thailand on Friday reported another 43 cases of the flu, bringing the total number to 89.

The Colombian government said on Friday that five more people were tested positive for the new virus strain, raising the infection toll to 40, including one death.

Salvadorian health authorities said on Friday that the total number of confirmed cases in the country had increased to 95 from 69.

The Costa Rican Health Ministry reported six new cases on Friday, raising the infection toll in the country to 118.

Brazil's Health Ministry confirmed two new cases on Friday afternoon, raising the total number of infected to 54.

On Thursday, the WHO raised the A/H1N1 alert to phase six, its highest level, formally declaring that it had developed into a global pandemic.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2009)