by Alejandra del Palacio

    MEXICO CITY, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The A/H1N1 flu has spread to 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries as of Friday, with more infection cases and higher death toll.

    Dominican Republic confirmed on Friday its first two cases of the flu.

    Mexico is still the most affected country which reported 5,029 confirmed cases and 97 deaths. It was followed by Chile, where the newly reported 25 confirmed cases brought the total infection number to 224.

    Panama's Health Ministry reported 23 new cases, raising the number in the country to 130.

    The number of confirmed cases in Guatemala rose to seven, and 37 in Ecuador. Both countries have not reported deaths.

    Uruguay's confirmed cases went up to six when its health authorities reported four new cases.

    Meanwhile, Venezuela on Thursday reported its first case and Bolivia reported its first two cases. Paraguay's confirmed cases rose to five.

    In Argentina, the infection cases rose to 70.

    Honduras has reported two patients, while Costa Rica has reported 37 cases and one death.

    In El Salvador, the number of the cases remained at 11. Brazil reported 14 cases and 20 suspected ones, and in Colombia there are 17 cases including a tourist.

    In Peru, the infection cases reached 31, while Cuba has not reported more infections besides the four Mexican students who have already recovered.

    To date, Nicaragua is the only Latin American country without confirmed cases.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the flu has infected 15,510 people and killed 99 in 53 countries. Most of the new cases were reported by the United States, with 1,163 new infections, bringing its total to 7,927.

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu