Swine flu has now spread to 66 countries with 19,273 people known to have been infected since the disease was first uncovered in April, data from the World Health Organisation showed Wednesday.

The number of deaths rose to 117 after two more deaths were reported by the United States, according to the latest WHO tally of confirmed influenza A(H1N1) cases.

Most of the new cases were reported by the United States, with 1,078 new infections, bringing its total caseload to 10,053, including 17 deaths.

Australia also posted a significant rise of 204 cases, bringing its total to 501.

Egypt reported a case to the WHO for the first time, marking the spread of the virus to Africa for the first time.

Bulgaria and Nicaragua also reported a case each for the first time, while Lebanon reported three cases.

Some affected countries no longer keep track of all cases according to the WHO, while others do not report daily.

The WHO is now only updating its tally three times a week, rather than daily.

Obama urges 2 bln more to fight swine flu

President Barack Obama asked Congress Wednesday "out of an abundance of caution" to boost funding to fight swine flu by an extra two billion dollars on top of 1.5 billion already requested.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama said since he had made his first request for funding in late April "we have learned much about the outbreak and the level of national response that possibly could be necessary in the coming months."

"Out of an abundance of caution, I ask Congress to consider an additional and contingent request for two billion dollars," the US president wrote.

Obama stressed that Congress, which holds the nation's purse strings, should give him the "maximum flexibility to allow us to address this emerging situation."

The US toll from the new multi-strain swine flu hit 21 Wednesday as new deaths were reported in New York and Chicago.

More than 11,000 cases have been confirmed in the United States, according to latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Swine flu has now spread to 66 countries with 19,273 people known to have been infected since the disease was first uncovered in April, data from the World Health Organization showed Wednesday.

The four new deaths in New York and Chicago, which were not yet included in the CDC's report, raise the global tally to 121.

Separately Obama also asked for 200 million dollars more to address "the serious humanitarian crisis developing in Pakistan" which has displaced more than 2.5 million people.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already announced in May an emergency aid to Pakistan of more than 100 million dollars to help those fleeing the fighting against Taliban militants in the Swat Valley.

The funds, if approved, will be added to the 2009 supplemental budget being debated by US lawmakers.

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