Swine flu vaccine ready for clinical trials

"Let's look at the fact that Australia is a highly mobile population and a lot of Australians travel internationally and as a result we've got some challenges to deal with," Rudd told the Seven Network.

In Hong Kong, which was hit hard by the 2003 SARS outbreak, authorities closed all primary schools after a group of children became the Chinese city's first "cluster" of cases.

The New Zealand government warned that more than one million people in the country could be infected over two years. But Health Minister Tony Ryall said there was no cause for immediate alarm.

Canada is investigating possible swine flu outbreaks in aboriginal communities. Additional health staff and protective garments have been sent to several communities, where an investigation is under way to determine how the virus reached the remote centers.

"This is a concern, and we are investigating," Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told a press conference.

This week, WHO acting assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda raised concerns over "a disproportionate number of serious cases" occurring in Canada's aboriginal communities.

Morocco on Friday became the second African nation to report a case.

Britain is Europe's worst hit country with 822 recorded cases, but the total has risen significantly in recent days.

In Spain, where there are 488 confirmed cases, Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez called for calm after WHO raised its alert saying that the symptoms were "slight" and the flu could be easily treated.

"It is true we must remain attentive because you never know what will happen in the future," she said. "We must be calm and get on with our lives as normal."

France said it was not changing its alert level.

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