A boy is given a H1N1 swine flu vaccine in a nasal spray at Dodge Park Elementary School in Landover, Maryland, October 9, 2009. Dodge Park students are among first school-aged children in Maryland to get free H1N1 vaccinations. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    GENEVA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 4,525 people worldwide have been killed by the A/H1N1 influenza since the new flu virus was identified in April, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a latest update on Friday.

    Of all the deaths, 3,292 occurred in the Americas, 480 occurred in South-East Asia and 410 occurred in the West Pacific. The other three WHO regions, Europe, East Mediterranean and Africa reported 193, 80 and 70 deaths respectively.

    The WHO, which declared the A/H1N1 flu as a pandemic in June, said the total number of lab confirmed cases worldwide is now over 378,223, but this case count is significantly lower than the actual number of cases that have occurred because many countries have stopped testing and reporting individual cases.

    In the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, transmission of influenza virus and rates of influenza-like-illness continue to increase, marking an unusually early start to fall and winter influenza season in many countries, the UN agency said.

    But in the temperate regions of the southern hemisphere, influenza transmission has largely subsided or continues to decline substantially.

    So far there is still no signs showing the H1N1 flu virus has mutated into a more dangerous form than the one first discovered in Mexico and the United States in April, the WHO said.

Nasal sprayers with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine are seen at Dodge Park Elementary School in Landover, Maryland, October 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu