MEXICO CITY (AFP) – - Airlines and tour operators suspended flights to Mexico on Tuesday as new cases of a deadly strain of swine flu were confirmed across the globe and officials warned of more fatalities.

The United States cautioned it may soon see its first deaths from the virus , which thus far has proved fatal only in Mexico, where more than 150 people are believed to have died from the flu.

US health authorities on Tuesday raised sharply the number of confirmed US cases to at least 65, and California declared a state of emergency.

Costa Rica became the first Central American nation to detect a confirmed case, while Europe, Israel and New Zealand increased their counts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it would convene experts from affected countries on Wednesday, and they would give a briefing on what is known about the disease.

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