Deaths: 149, all in Mexico, 20 confirmed as swine flu and the rest suspected. Some 1,995 people have been hospitalised with pneumonia but government does not yet know how many were swine flu.

Sickened: Forty confirmed in US, 28 at one New York City school. Elsewhere, six confirmed in Canada; 13 suspected in New Zealand; one confirmed and 17 suspected in Spain; one suspected in France; one suspected in Israel.

Confirmed cases in US: 28 in New York, seven in California, two in Kansas, two in Texas and one in Ohio.

Safety measures in Mexico: All schools suspended until May 6. In Mexico City, surgical masks given to subway passengers, public events cancelled, public venues closed and church services postponed. President assumed new powers to isolate infected people. World Bank lending Mexico more than US$200 million.

Safety measures worldwide: US government declares public-health emergency and travellers questioned at border, some schools closed. Airports screen travellers from Mexico and United States. China, Russia, Taiwan and Bolivia to quarantine anyone with symptoms. Hong Kong and South Korea warn against travel to parts of Mexico. European Union health commissioner urges Europeans to postpone non-essential travel to US and Mexico; a CDC official called that premature. Germany's largest tour operator suspends all charter flights to Mexico City.

Economic effects: World stock markets fall as investors worry that outbreak could derail economic recovery, with airlines taking brunt of sell-off.