President Barack Obama is being fully briefed on an outbreak of deadly swine flu blamed for scores of deaths in Mexico and seven infections in Texas, an aide said Friday.

"The White House is taking the situation seriously and monitoring for any new developments. The president has been fully briefed," said Reid Cherlin, a White House spokesman.

The World Health Organization in Geneva said 60 people had died from suspected swine flu in Mexico, and Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said officials were probing 45 deaths and 943 possible infections.

The virus mutated from pigs and was transmitted to some humans, raising fears it could evolve into a pandemic type virus.

US medical authorities earlier expressed strong concern as seven known cases were reported in the southern United States, and underlined that the virus included strains from different types of flu.

Source:  AFP