Global health authorities warned yesterday that swine flu was threatening to bloom into a pandemic and the virus spread farther in Europe, even as the outbreak appeared to stabilise at its epicentre. A Mexico City toddler who succumbed in Texas became the first death outside Mexico, where 160 have already been killed.

It was the first time the World Health Organisation had declared a Phase 5 outbreak, the second-highest on its threat scale, indicating a pandemic could be imminent.

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For swine flu info, call the health ministry's hotline: 1-888-663-5683