From correspondents in Washington, USA

Reuters

April 24, 2009 11:13am

SEVEN people have been diagnosed with a strange and unusual new kind of
swine flu in California and Texas, the US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention reported.

All seven people have recovered but the virus itself is a
never-before-seen mixture of viruses typical among pigs, birds and
humans, the CDC said.

"We are likely to find more cases," the CDC's Dr Anne Schuchat said.

"We don't think this is time for major concern around the country."

However, some experts fear this strain, or another strain, could spark a
pandemic that could kill millions.

Strange mixture

Unusually, the viruses all appear to carry genes from swine flu, avian
flu and human flu viruses from North America, Europe and Asia.

"We haven't seen this strain before, but we hadn't been looking as
intensively as we have," Dr Schuchat said.

"It's very possible that this is something new that hasn't been
happening before."

The CDC reported the new strain of swine flu on Tuesday in two boys from
California's two southernmost counties.

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