The President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias has swine flu, making him the first head of state known to have contracted the A-H1N1 virus. A government spokesman said the 68 year-old has been diagnosed with a mild case. He is suffering a sore throat and a fever, and he plans to work from home until the beginning of next week.

Spain has just recorded its 10th death from the flu virus. A 30 year-old man who was taken to hospital on Gran Canaria a fortnight ago died from complications linked to swine flu according to Spain’s health ministry. Earlier in the week in Valencia, a 28 year old woman also fell victim to the virus. Belgian research centres are the latest to have begun testing a vaccine to counter the A-H1N1 virus. The drug company providing the test batches hopes the vaccine will be generally available by October. The swine flu outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation in June, and has killed more than 1400 people worldwide. There are fears that it might surge in the autumn.More about: Costa Rica, Influenza A (H1N1), Swine flu

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